The past week at the hawk watch was pleasant. Mid-May means warmer temperatures, diverse flights, and the arrival of breeding boreal songbirds. Spring-like conditions delivered consistent Sharp-shinned Hawk and Bald Eagle flights alongside dwindling numbers of buteos and falcons. It is rewarding and heartwarming to make it to the back end of a season, [...]
Things are shaping up to be another successful Piping Plover breeding season at Whitefish Point. The plovers have been arriving at the Point since April 27, and our pair from last year have found each other again. Just a refresher, that pair is Of,bL:X,B/O/B (Male, aka Little Bill Bob) and X,V:Of,YY (Female, aka Violet [...]
Week 4 of the Waterbird Count was very much a boom or bust week, with a few days of remarkable migration and a few days of calm and quiet. Red-throated Loon by Martina Nordstrand May 6th continued our theme from last week- lots of loons! With 588 loons counted, this day is [...]
The second week of May sped right along, and it feels as if it was just last night I was sitting down to write a blog, rather than last week! These full spring days, growing ever longer, are action packed from sunrise to sunset, and it is hard to drag myself away to even [...]
It's hard to believe, but we are already halfway through the Spring Waterbird Count! The third week of the count was very eventful and full of highlights! Red-necked Grebes by Martina Nordstrand April 29th featured an exciting weather switch, with southwest winds overnight and into the first few hours of the count. [...]
Goodbye April, hello May! The Whitefish Point Raptor Count has entered its final month, but with some serious action on the way! The final days of April maintained the pattern of diverse flights, and 12 species of raptors were counted on the 30th alone! The absolute top bird of the day was a dark [...]
The second week of the Spring Waterbird Count saw the arrivals and peaks of many waterbirds, with many first-of-season sightings! Apr 22 was a quieter day, without much waterbird movement over the course of the day. I did have a few Green-winged Teal which are always a treat to see, and a decent crane [...]
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 [...]
Hi everyone, I am Martina Nordstrand, the Spring 2025 Waterbird Counter for Whitefish Point Bird Observatory! I'm excited to spend this spring counting at the Point and seeing some great visible migration over Lake Superior. I am originally from North Carolina, so when I arrived in Paradise last week, it was definitely a change [...]
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 [...]
