So Long, and Thanks for All the Hawks

In my blog last week, you may recall that I wished for one final push of Broad-winged Hawks. I am happy to report that my wish came true. On the very next day, I counted 780 broad-wings, and by the last day of the count (yesterday), I added another 400 to the season total. After a dip into freezing temperatures and north winds midweek, the last two days of the count were sunny and warm, with a sweet south breeze making for a perfect end to the season. With over 13,000 raptors counted this season, the 2021 migration can be considered below average. It is hard to say if this results from declining populations or weather-induced, but your friendly, neighborhood hawk counter remains ever the optimist and blames it on bad weather. While March got the count off to a great start with warmer than average temperatures and favorable winds, April turned the tables on all of us with extended periods of heavy north winds. By May, neither I nor the raptors knew if they were coming or going! There were some spectacular days, a 2,000 Sharp-shinned Hawk day (which occurred on my day off — a hawk counter’s worst fear), a 150 American Kestrel day, and two 100+ Rough-legged Hawk days. There were also days where I stared at the sky for hours on end with a single raptor passing by. Such is the ebb and flow of migration, high and proud, low and humble, each day different than the last.

Personally, what I will take away from this season is all the wonderful people who came up to visit the hawk deck and shared the miracle of migration with me. What a difference a year makes. Last year, a pandemic kept most of us locked away in quarantine, and the hawk deck was a place of solitude. This year, I had visitors on most days — some were birders and some were not — but the one thing they all had in common was that they found this little dune-top patch overlooking Lake Superior to be an absolutely beautiful place, and you will get no argument from me on that point. From tourists to local people, traveling birders to former hawk counters, photography enthusiasts to shipwreck enthusiasts, curious children to curious adults, to the ornithology class in this picture, the hawk deck became a place where people shared moments of beauty and hopefully came away with a bit of new knowledge.

I want to thank everyone who came up to visit, old friends and new. I thank you for your kindness and generosity, all the snacks and tasty treats, all the laughs, and most of all, the birds we saw together. I want to thank everyone who took the time to read this blog post every week; it is a small world up here in Paradise, and we counters are far away from our friends and family for what seems like an eternity. This blog is actually my way of letting the folks back home know that I am still alive! Lord knows if any of them read it, though. 😉

It has been a great season. Finally, I would be remiss not to thank Michigan Audubon for having me back for a second season at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. The good folks at M.A. are a small but dedicated crew that truly do so much for such a huge state! Thank you for working so hard through difficult times, and thank you for doing all you can to make us counters, way up here on the fringes of your world, feel appreciated and taken care of.

So long, and thanks for all the hawks!

~ Rich Couse
2021 Spring Hawk Counter

Photo by Rich Couse

You can see results 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 from the 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.

You may read the full 2021 COVID-19 Updates for Michigan Audubon and Whitefish Point Bird Observatory here.