Migration Counts

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

The first week of April is a time of great anticipation. If the weather cooperates, massive early raptor flights can occur; if the weather does not cooperate, it can be reminiscent of March. This year, we were somewhere right in the middle, with a couple of days of decent flight and a few early [...]

The first month of hawk watching at Whitefish Point this season has drawn to a close. Let's take a look back to see how the numbers from the last two weeks stack up! Turkey Vulture (1): The first vulture of the year was spotted on March 27, and vulture dances immediately commenced. It is [...]

The second week of the Raptor Count was a fairly chilly one, but productive! The largest flight of the week occurred on March 18, with a total of 40 raptors! Eagles led the charge; 15 Bald Eagles powered by, and 14 Golden Eagles spent quite a bit of time wandering up and down the [...]

New Beginnings: Happy Spring! My name is Sean McLaughlin, and I will serve as the 2025 Raptor Counter at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (WPBO). Like previous counters, I will provide a weekly blog with updates and news regarding hawk migration along eastern Lake Superior! The count began on March 15 with somewhat favorable ESE [...]