Rough-legged Hawk! Yes, indeed, this beautiful buteo will be taking home the Copper Kettle, our illustrious and in every way, non-existent, totally made-up, Raptor of the Season award. While not an actual award, an old, unusable kettle at the field house could easily be repurposed for just such an honor.
With raptor migration winding down, your friendly, neighborhood hawk counter has had time to reflect on the season, and while several raptor species had impressive days, notably a 2,165 Sharp-shinned Hawk day and a 142 American Kestrel day, it was the steady reliability of seeing a Rough-legged Hawk that got me through the dark days. Those gray, bone-chilling, mind-numbing days can wear away at one’s morale, but it is truly amazing how just a momentary sighting of one of these striking hawks can lift one’s spirit and carry you through the rest of the day. This season I was fortunate to have two days where I had over a hundred of those moments!
This past week saw a string of five days with steady south winds, and I was expecting a nice final push of Broad-winged Hawks, but they just never materialized. With one week left to the count and not much action in the skies, I am holding on to the slim hope of a nice broad-winged day and the possibility of sighting a rarity like a Swainson’s Hawk or a Mississippi Kite to cap the count off with. Wish me luck, and if I do see one, I will be sure to let you know!
~ Rich Couse
2021 Spring Hawk Counter
Photo: Rough-legged Hawk 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.
Celebrating Spring Migration at Whitefish Point — A Webinar Series
Raptor Identification and Field Marks
May 13 | 7 p.m.
Are you one of the many people who find raptor identification to be tricky? Join us for a presentation by Hawk Counter Rich Couse as he covers the basics of raptor ID. Rich will share his tips and tricks that he utilizes as the hawk counter at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (where he is currently serving his second season at the WPBO Hawk Deck) and other hawk watching sites across the country. From field marks to flight style, Rich will cover the tools you need to distinguish between Sharp-shinned and Red-tailed Hawks, Golden and Bald Eagles, and more.
This event is the second in a four-part series of free webinars celebrating spring migration at the Point and highlighting WPBO research programs.
