In the past week, more than 7,500 raptors have been counted! Spring is here in full force, championed by our fierce accipiter migrant, the Sharp-shinned Hawk. These sharpie days have been unbelievable, with nearly non-stop action from sunrise to sunset!
The best flights of the week occurred on the 23rd, 26th and 28th. All of these days followed similar patterns of heavy Sharp-shinned Hawk traffic in the morning hours, tapering off late in the day. April 23rd was notable in the extension of the flight into the late afternoon and early evening, headlined by over 100 American Kestrels! We also picked up the second Short-eared Owl from the raptor watch on the same afternoon.
Sharp-shinned Hawk by Sean McLaughlin
Amidst the epic hawk flights, large non-raptors continue to show well. There have been consistent flights of Sandhill Cranes, with 500+ cranes on the 22nd and 23rd. Common Loons, a Whitefish Point specialty, are being seen more frequently crossing the dunes, many times at close range.
Sandhill Crane by Sean McLaughlin
Common Loon by Sean McLaughlin
One of my highlights of the spring is the first true arrival of Broad-winged Hawks! The swirling kettles that arose on the morning of the 27th brought a smile to many visitors’ faces. I give a wry grin to these long-distance champions and simply say “welcome back.”
Excitement is building in the bird world as we near the end of April. Northern Flickers are a common sight and sound at the point these days, zipping down to the point and back in a golden flash. Other new arrivals include Chipping Sparrow, Pine Warbler, American White Pelican, Snow Goose, Wilson’s Snipe, and Eurasian Tree Sparrow! New birds are appearing at the point daily, and I hope you all can squeeze in a weekend (or an afternoon!) at the point soon. Hope to see you there!
Sean McLaughlin, 2025 Spring Raptor Counter
Featured photo: Sharp-shinned Hawk by S McLaughlin
Broad-winged Hawk by Sean McLaughlin
Northern Flicker 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 2026 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.
