The third week of April at Whitefish Point was filled with some great days and unusual birds, as well as some pretty slow days. April 15 was a blustery, snowy day as a cold front rolled past. Few birds moving, but it was a treat to spot a Great Black-backed Gull. Following the cold front of the 15th, I wasn’t expecting much as high pressure cleared all clouds from the sky, and a stiff northwest wind pummeled the Point. To everyone’s surprise, this was the day a Black Vulture decided to show up! This southern visitor is a rare treat to the Point, and spent 45 minutes soaring and flapping about with a kettle of Turkey Vultures.
The 17th and 18th delivered some southerly winds, and thus quite a few birds! Two great days of Sharp-shinned Hawks, Northern Harriers, Rough-legged Hawks, and American Kestrels padded the numbers. The first three Osprey of the year were all spotted on the 18th, too! Fish hawks are back in a big way. We are nearly in the peak windows for Kestrels, Rough-legged Hawks, and Northern Harriers, and there might be a chance for a few big flights next week.
Black Vulture by Sean McLaughlin
Male American Kestrel by Sean McLaughlin
April 18th and 20th served up similar flights, with a somewhat lackluster day on the 19th in between. Highlights include some big increases in Sharp-shinned Hawk flights, a modest arrival of Broad-winged Hawks and Sandhill Cranes on the 20th, and a Great Egret on the 18th! The 21st was a quiet and rainy wrap-up to the week, headlined by an adult Glaucous Gull. It’s really starting to feel like spring in the bird world, but temperatures and snow cover just refuse to really let up. I really appreciate all who stopped in to deliver cookies and help spot birds this week! Keep an eye on the forecast for warmer days with sunshine, and the raptor floodgates will continue to open wider and wider! Hope to see you at the Point.
Sean McLaughlin, 2025 Spring Raptor Counter
Featured photo: Dark morph Rough-legged Hawk by S McLaughlin
American Tree Sparrow by Sean McLaughlin
You can now see the raptor count data on Trektellen! Check it out at trektellen.nl/count/view/4562.
You can keep up with the 2025 Raptor Count by reading Sean’s weekly blog posts and following WPBO’s social media (Facebook, Instagram, and X). The raptor count runs March 15 through May 31.
Sean is a hawk watcher from Pennsylvania who has enjoyed watching birds migrate for over 15 years. A lifelong birder and naturalist, Sean has counted raptors at Stone Mountain and Tussey Mountain hawk watches in PA, before moving to the shore of Lake Superior. He has led the count team for four seasons at Hawk Ridge and three at the West Skyline Hawk Count in Duluth, Minnesota, instilling a deep love for the Great Lakes. In Duluth, Sean also conducts morning flight counts of passerines and other migrants. Outside of the world of watching migration, Sean has studied American Goshawks in the mountains of Oregon, breeding birds in northern Minnesota, and instructed courses at Hog Island Audubon Camp. He is excited to return to eastern Lake Superior for a second spring at Whitefish Point, particularly for the epic Sharp-shinned Hawk and Common Loon flights.
