Greetings and salutations from Whitefish Point! The Hermit of the Hawk Shack, your Friendly Neighborhood Raptor Counter, known to many as Rich Couse but mostly as “that guy who stands out in the cold all day, every day, way up there on the hawk deck.” has returned for a third thrilling spring season!
I know you are all wondering — well, okay, maybe it is just me who is wondering — what does Season 3 have in store for us? Let’s start with a quick recap.
It’s a snowy climb to the top of the hawk deck where you will see that winter still has a firm hold on the Point. Photo by Rich Couse
Season 1: A New Normal
I started counting at WBPO in 2019, just as the coronavirus took the world by storm. I truly earned the moniker Hermit of the Hawk Shack as the country remained in quarantine, and travel was restricted. It was also a volatile season with continually unfavorable weather patterns, resulting in one of the lowest raptor migration totals on record here at WBPO.
Season 2: The Raptors Strike Back
The difference a year made was incredible. Early spring brought raptors funneling over Whitefish Point with an earnest might in each and every wingbeat. And along with the raptors came people! Emboldened by vaccinations, onlookers once again stood upon the hawk deck while still clinging to the social distancing we had all become accustomed to. No longer a Hermit, I became your Friendly Neighborhood Raptor Counter and gratefully greeted and enjoyed the company of fellow raptor enthusiasts. Gloriously, the raptors responded in kind, with exceptional single-day counts of Rough-legged Hawks, American Kestrels, and Sharp-shinned Hawks.
Season 3: Return of the Counter!
So, dear reader, what does spring 2022 have in store for us? As you can see by the photo accompanying this blog post, the Hawk Highway is open even though it is still covered in snow. Luckily, birds don’t have to wait for it to be plowed. Winter finches are present and keeping the Corvid Crew (the local American Crows) and me company while we await the first big push of raptors, which happened to be 17 Bald Eagles this past Sunday. It is still too early for me to make any big reveals or bold predictions, but I can give you a sneak peek of things to come.
I will be here to witness spring migration through May 31 and impart my experiences as the season unfolds here in this weekly blog post. I will make every effort to make my photos inspirational and my prose entertaining, so look for the occasional easter eggs, such as those of the galactic sort found above. Finally, I can promise that I will happily greet you with a smile on my face if you should choose to pay exorbitant gas prices and come to visit! See you on the deck.
~ Rich Couse
2022 Spring Raptor Counter
Featured photo: View from the hawk deck at WPBO. Photo by Rich Couse
