The first week of April has been one of the most dismal I have ever seen. With just two days of weather resembling optimal migration weather, we did the most with what we had. There is still deep snow across most of the Upper Peninsula, and drifts at the point are as deep as 4-5 feet in places. Sunday morning, the eastern UP recorded the coldest temperatures than anywhere else in the lower 48. The two best days of the week were April 1st and 6th, with some decent flights of Red-tailed Hawk, Golden and Bald Eagles.

Adult Bald Eagle. Photo by Sean McLaughlin

Aside from the two prime days, we have experienced several days of adverse weather, from snow to freezing rain to sleet. Patience is perhaps the most valuable skill a hawkwatcher can possess in the northern Great Lakes this time of year. After several days of poor weather, if even just one day of sun and decent winds crops up, the birds may “bust out” into a huge flight. On April 6th, we completed our first “falcon sweep” of the season, with all three expected species recorded on the count. The flight on the 6th was very exciting, as birds rushed through on a prefrontal system, just ahead of snow and a whipping NW wind. Alongside over 40 raptors were 47 Common Ravens in active migration, an excellent count for the point!

American Robin. Photo by Sean McLaughlin

The non-raptor flight has been sparse, and like the raptor flight, was concentrated to just a few days this week. We have welcomed back some small flocks of American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Blackbirds, and the 6th saw the first appreciable movement of Sandhill Cranes. The prehistoric bugling of these ancient birds echoed across the snow covered dunes, and raised the spirits of watchers below. The forecast for the next week is just as variable as the last, but expect flights on the few sunny days coming up. Hope to see you at the point!

Sean McLaughlin, Raptor Counter

Sandhill Cranes, Photo 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.