Spring Migration

Silence

This morning is different. Somehow my senses seem sharper, the world around me is magnified, and I am able to take in everything at once. Yes, the snow has stopped. Yes, it is warmer; the mercury in the thermometer has risen to 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Fog filters through the spruce forest, shrouding the snow-covered [...]

2022-08-12T09:52:48-04:00April 5th, 2022|Migration Counts|Comments Off on Silence

So Long, and Thanks for All the Hawks

In my blog last week, you may recall that I wished for one final push of Broad-winged Hawks. I am happy to report that my wish came true. On the very next day, I counted 780 broad-wings, and by the last day of the count (yesterday), I added another 400 to the season total. [...]

2021-06-02T13:22:29-04:00June 1st, 2021|Migration Counts|Comments Off on So Long, and Thanks for All the Hawks

And the Raptor of the Season Award Goes to…

Rough-legged Hawk! Yes, indeed, this beautiful buteo will be taking home the Copper Kettle, our illustrious and in every way, non-existent, totally made-up, Raptor of the Season award. While not an actual award, an old, unusable kettle at the field house could easily be repurposed for just such an honor. With raptor migration winding [...]

2021-05-27T09:52:41-04:00May 25th, 2021|Migration Counts|Comments Off on And the Raptor of the Season Award Goes to…

Blue Jays Take Whitefish Point by Storm!

This past weekend, raptors seemingly forfeited the migratory flyaways in response to high Blue Jay traffic. Fred, a Broad-winged Hawk, who has been traveling this route for many years, had this to say: “What in tarnation!?! You know, I’ve been traveling this route for many years, and I have plum had it with the [...]

2021-05-27T09:53:06-04:00May 18th, 2021|Migration Counts|Comments Off on Blue Jays Take Whitefish Point by Storm!

What Bird is That?

To some people, bird identification can seem like a mystical art. Those who master it have gleaned their knowledge from studying the arcane lore of bird ID, leafing through dusty tomes called field guides far into the wee hours of the morning. These masters have journeyed to distant lands, sought the unseekable, and made [...]

2021-05-27T09:53:43-04:00May 11th, 2021|Migration Counts|Comments Off on What Bird is That?

Flight of the Sharpies

Well, folks, it finally happened. Sharp-shinned Hawks dominated the skies, with nearly 3,000 birds zipping past the hawk deck this past weekend. Days like these are what hawk counters live for, and as each hawk passes, it takes with it a bit of the memory of hours upon hours of staring at the empty [...]

2021-05-27T09:54:09-04:00May 4th, 2021|Migration Counts|Comments Off on Flight of the Sharpies

Celebrating Spring Migration at Whitefish Point — A Webinar Series

Many of you already know and respect just how crucial avian research is, but do you know what makes Whitefish Point Bird Observatory such an excellent place for these research efforts to take place? Tune in with us each Thursday in May to learn about topics inspired by our research at WPBO in a free [...]

2021-05-04T16:29:10-04:00May 4th, 2021|Field Notes|Comments Off on Celebrating Spring Migration at Whitefish Point — A Webinar Series

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

I am sure you have heard the expression "a picture is worth a thousand words" but, have you ever asked yourself how much a picture costs? These days, I am just as likely to see a person carrying a camera up to the hawk deck as I am likely to see a person carrying [...]

2021-04-28T12:59:51-04:00April 27th, 2021|Migration Counts|Comments Off on A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
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