Many birders ask the question, “What bird do you see most from the hawk deck at Whitefish Point?” and while I do see many raptors, there is one bird that I see with more regularity than any other. This bird is with me from the beginning of the day to the end of the day, and without it, I would be a lonely soul. I am talking about the American Crow. The crows here make their presence known throughout the day; their near-continuous cawing back and forth surrounds me from all sides as they move about The Point letting each other know where they are. Without them, there is utter silence save for the sound of wind and waves.
Surprised? I wouldn’t blame you if you were. After all, this isn’t called the Whitefish Point Crow Count. However, I do count crows and, in particular, pay attention to their calls and movements. The crows are the ones with the birdseye view of the Point, and oft-times they spot an oncoming raptor before I do. In fact, they often show me exactly where a raptor is as they raucously swoop and dive at it (a behavior called “mobbing”) in the sky. There is no love lost between crows and hawks, they may as well be the Hatfields and McCoys of the bird world, and goshawks are Public Enemy #1. This past Saturday, we had a wonderful Northern Goshawk flight with over 15 sightings, including a couple of close passes over the hawk deck. Several of these birds were spotted due to paying close attention to crow behavior. Hence, they deserve proper recognition for the role they play at the hawk count.
Much study has been devoted to the minds of corvids, the family to which crows belong (along with ravens and jays), and they are considered to be among the most intelligent birds in the world. I would be a fool not to take advantage of their big brains as much as I can! Thus, they provide me with entertainment while the count is slow. One will land on the far corner of the deck and give me the sideways stare, quite bold in fact but not confident to sit still long enough for me to ever snap a picture. One false move and I am gone, is their motto. Thankfully never for long; my slow days would be long indeed without them. They fly close by, sit in the trees, caw, and clatter. These are resident birds. I am a guest in their home, and as long as we share the same space each day, I will greet them with a hearty hello in the morning and ask them most politely, “Will you please go find me some raptors?”
~ Rich Couse
2021 Spring Hawk Counter
Photo: Northern Goshawk by Rich Couse
You can see live updates for the 2021 Spring Hawk Count on Dunkadoo, read Rich’s weekly blog post, and follow WPBO’s social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for hawk count highlights this season.
If you visit WPBO, please practice social distancing while doing so. Although not required, we encourage you to wear masks if you are in close proximity to other people, even if outdoors. If necessary, a capacity limit will be set for how many people can utilize the Hawk Deck simultaneously.
