With one week of the spring raptor count left, Mother Nature decided she wanted to remind me of those wonderful April days where fog engulfs the hawk deck while the north winds blow off the lake and birds are practically nowhere to be seen or heard. I looked at empty skies as raptor migration found itself in a lull at a time when I expected a last big push before it naturally began to wind down. The peak count of the week was 94 Broad-winged Hawks, and for all other raptor species, the other days saw less than 30 individuals in total between them.
While the raptors hunkered down in the forest and I sought the shelter of my shack (dressed in the same three layers, plus the winter parka I wore on the first day of the season), I gazed into a shroud of atmospheric fog that rolled through the trees and limited my visibility to a couple of hundred meters. Suddenly, the rapid, strident call of a Merlin echoed through the veil of ghostly mist and circled around me almost as if it was trying to show me where the original idea for surround sound came from. The raptor flew out of the fog like a bullet, and even to my trained eyes, it appeared to be nothing but a dark illusory blur. Then as quickly as this little tempest started, it was over. All was silent.
Yes, you guessed it, dear reader, too silent…
The Merlin had perched on a snag behind the shack where the gnarly branches appeared to be as decent as any other place to hunker down on a foggy day. As for myself, the benches on the hawk deck also made a proper place for me to sit and admire such a magnificent creature, giving me time to realize that we were there, alone and together in the world. These are the singular moments that only hours upon hours of quiet observation can bring you, even through good weather and bad. The Merlin and I were two creatures that spent hour upon hour, day upon day in the same exact spot, and this was our life.
If there is one thing that I could wish for everyone, it is to have a “Merlin in the fog” moment, where you take the time to truly appreciate what is right in front of you and recognize that it is a shared moment. These living creatures, these beautiful things with feathers, are no less significant than you are. They are earthlings, living and breathing just like you, and while you are seeing them, they see you.
As always, thank you for reading.
~ Rich Couse
2022 Spring Raptor Counter
Featured photo: Merlin in the fog. Photo by Rich Couse
Support WPBO’s Research During Birdathon on May 28
Our skilled team of bird counters and volunteers at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory will set out on a mission to count as many bird species as possible in one day on May 28, 2022, as part of an annual fundraising event supporting the amazing work happening at WPBO! In 2021, a whopping 152 species were counted and the event brought in $6,826.65! Let’s hope this year is just as successful.
This is where you come in! Because our work is 100% donor-funded, Birdathon provides all of our supporters with an opportunity to make a significant impact on our work by making a pledge or direct donation to Birdathon (even after the event). Any amount is helpful, but have some fun with it and consider letting your donation or pledge be inspired by a per-species amount.
Learn more about Birdathon and find links to donate at wpbo.org/birdathon.
Thank you so much to everyone who supports the work being done at WPBO!
