Michigan Audubon Office: (517) 580-7364|birds@michiganaudubon.org

Migration Counts

Seasonal staff at WPBO conduct waterbird counts in the spring and fall and a spring raptor count. During the seasons, counts are conducted daily. Raptor counts run March 15-May 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Waterbird counts run April 15-May 31 and August 15-November 15, 8 hours starting at dawn daily during each season. The Hawk Deck and Waterbird Shack are accessible to the public, and you can follow this blog to get regular updates during the counting seasons!

Spring Raptor Count 5/13-5/19–Home Stretch

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, [...]

2025-05-21T15:42:15-04:00May 20th, 2025|Migration Counts, Raptor Count|Comments Off on Spring Raptor Count 5/13-5/19–Home Stretch
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Spring Waterbird Count 5/6-5/12 Week 4: Scoter Season

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 [...]

2025-05-15T12:42:15-04:00May 14th, 2025|Migration Counts, Waterbird Count|Comments Off on Spring Waterbird Count 5/6-5/12 Week 4: Scoter Season
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Spring Raptor Count 5/6-5/12–Record Days

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 [...]

2025-05-13T19:19:13-04:00May 13th, 2025|Migration Counts, Raptor Count|Comments Off on Spring Raptor Count 5/6-5/12–Record Days
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Spring Waterbird Count 4/29-5/5- Diver Days

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. [...]

2025-05-08T18:43:08-04:00May 7th, 2025|Migration Counts, Waterbird Count|Comments Off on Spring Waterbird Count 4/29-5/5- Diver Days
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Spring Raptor Count 4/29-5/5–Spring’s True Arrival

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 [...]

2025-05-06T12:30:33-04:00May 6th, 2025|Migration Counts, Raptor Count|Comments Off on Spring Raptor Count 4/29-5/5–Spring’s True Arrival
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Spring Waterbird Count 4/22-4/28- Week 2

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 [...]

2025-04-30T15:17:59-04:00April 29th, 2025|Migration Counts, Waterbird Count|Comments Off on Spring Waterbird Count 4/22-4/28- Week 2
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Spring Raptor Count 4/22-4/28–The Sharpie Days

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 [...]

2025-04-29T13:30:00-04:00April 29th, 2025|Migration Counts, Raptor Count|Comments Off on Spring Raptor Count 4/22-4/28–The Sharpie Days
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Spring Waterbird Count 4/15-4/22- Week 1

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 [...]

2025-04-30T06:21:37-04:00April 23rd, 2025|Migration Counts, Waterbird Count|Comments Off on Spring Waterbird Count 4/15-4/22- Week 1
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Spring Raptor Count 4/15-4/21–Highs and Lows

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 [...]

2025-04-24T21:36:16-04:00April 22nd, 2025|Migration Counts, Raptor Count|Comments Off on Spring Raptor Count 4/15-4/21–Highs and Lows
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Spring Raptor Count 4/8-4/14–The Unstopping of the Cork

I am happy to announce that spring has arrived to Whitefish Point, in earnest! The tipping point has been coming for a while, and the combination of some warmer days and southerly winds really opened the floodgates of April migration. April 8th was nothing to write home about, except for a lone adult American [...]

2025-04-16T17:07:28-04:00April 15th, 2025|Migration Counts, Raptor Count|Comments Off on Spring Raptor Count 4/8-4/14–The Unstopping of the Cork
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