The third week of the hawk count saw highs and lows but culminated with 181 birds on April 1! The weather was unstable, with some cold and windy days when no raptors were seen and milder days when the kinder winds from the southwest brought the first Red-tailed Hawks! Four species made their first [...]
Bad weather tested the second week of the count. Drizzle, light rain, and drifting snow, coupled with strong northern and northwest winds, provided less-than-optimal conditions for observation on most days. On March 20, I had to interrupt the count because of whiteouts. Bald Eagles were the only regularly recorded species, with a few adults [...]
The dunes of Whitefish Point were free of snow on March 15. Photo by Michael Patrikeev The count started on a bright, sunny day with unseasonably mild temperatures of 40 F (6 C)! It was nice to see Lake Superior's turquoise and deep blue waters after many years spent away from the [...]
It never ceases to amaze me how dependent a day, or even a week, can be on the weather. Only by spending every entire day outside can one even begin to appreciate how sheltered and comfortable our human lives are. With the exception of an unfortunate segment of our population, spending time outdoors is [...]
