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 [...]
March has just about drawn to a close, and the first month of the raptor count is wrapping up. It has been a tumultuous month, and the old phrase "in like a lion, out like a lamb" has held true at Whitefish Point. Despite several days of snow and unfavorable winds, the last week [...]
The first full week of the spring raptor count began as an exhausted winter storm departed the Point, leaving the dunes cloaked in a snowy shawl. In my first true view of the Jack Pine horizon and beyond, I was thrilled to watch a Golden Eagle emerge on March 17th, the first raptor of [...]
Welcome back to another season of raptor counting at Whitefish Point! My name is Sean McLaughlin, and I am thrilled to return as the Raptor Counter for my second season at the point. This spring is my 10th season counting birds professionally, and this career has carried me from the ridges of central Pennsylvania [...]
Osprey by Sean McLaughlin In the penultimate week of hawkwatching at Whitefish Point this spring, we have finally begun to see migration slip back into low gear. Seasonal totals are nearing their zenith, but daily totals are dropping by the day. It is sad to see the final days of migration arrive, [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
