It has been a busy week at Whitefish Point! Mid May is a very exciting time of year, as raptor flights can boil up into large kettles, passerine flights are large and diverse, and the chance for rare birds increases. We’ll start with the raptors. “Peregrine Week” lived up to its name, with 19 counted over 7 days. Almost all of the Peregrines counted this week have still been adults, meaning there is probably still a good number of juvenile birds still on their way. Other falcons were present in smaller numbers, but there has been a slight bump in the number of Merlins seen. A few small Broad-winged Hawk and Bald Eagle flights rounded out the majority of the raptor numbers this week.

Adult Peregrine Falcon. Photo by Sean McLaughlin

The cat might already be out of the bag, but there was another sighting of a Crested Caracara on May 16! This individual made a few passes before eventually setting down in a Jack Pine to the west of the Hawk Deck. It remained there for over an hour, allowing for extended views from dozens of visitors! It was particularly exciting to watch peoples eyes widen when they approached the top of the stairs and were beckoned by calls of “Do you want to see a Caracara?” What is even more exciting is that this is likely a second individual, identified by differing feather wear and the amount of white in the wings.

Adult Crested Caracara. Photo by Sean McLaughlin

Non-raptor flights from the deck have really improved, with the arrival of early Neotropical migrants. 10+ warbler species, vireos, tanagers, grosbeaks and orioles have all made their way back to the point, heralding late May. Some unusual visitors this week include Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Brewer’s Blackbird, Red-headed Woodpecker and Wilson’s Phalarope. Just two weeks remain, hope to see you at the Point soon!

Scarlet Tanager. Photo by Sean McLaughlin

Sean McLaughlin, Spring Raptor Counter

Featured Photo: Migrant Blue Jays by S. 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.