Visit the Spring CountWell, the birds fly south in the fall, so they must fly north in the spring, right? Yes! However, they are not found at Hawk Ridge in the spring because of its location on the NORTH side of Lake Superior. Instead, the SPRING COUNT takes place further to the southwest, although still in Duluth. Here's the skinny on the spring migration: The count starts toward mid-March and continues DAILY through the end of May. Timing of species, as you can imagine, is the reverse of what it is in the fall. The first arrivals in the spring are the EAGLES, both bald & golden, and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS. Not long after that the RED-TAILED HAWKS arrive. BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS begin showing up in April. Here's the peak for each species (high counts
listed): Raptors flying north through our area in the spring are a little more spread out...we don't have as great of a natural funnel for northward migration as we do at Hawk Ridge for the southward migration in the fall. In the spring, smaller birds such as Sharp-shinned Hawks and American Kestrels tend to stay down along the shore, out of range of our counters. The Northern Goshawk route is a bit of a mystery for now, our highest number for goshawks in one day during the spring is four. What about weather? SOUTH or SOUTHWEST winds are best for big numbers of northward migrating raptors. I am happy to report this--these are usually days with beautiful weather! WEST winds are also good, and the counters report that there are birds "on any wind". Birds are on a mission now: Get To Nesting Territories!, so they're not taking their time waiting for perfect migrating weather. Numbers are, however, greatly reduced in inclement weather such as fog, snow, rain, sleet, or hail. Another spring advantage? GREAT looks! The cold ground doesn't promote the development of huge thermals, so the birds are generally much lower, riding updrafts along the ridge instead. The ground doesn't warm up until late May, so until then the birds will be quite low. Dave, the counter, has reported Bald Eagles within 40 feet of him, riding the updrafts! WHERE is the spring count? Good question! The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind. In S, SW, SE, N, NW or W winds: Enger Tower. Directions: From I35N, take the Mesaba Ave Exit in Duluth, and follow Mesaba to a left turn onto Skyline Parkway before Central Entrance. Continue on Skyline to a pullout overlook just below Enger Tower. (You'll come to the Enger Golf Course if you go too far) If you don't see anyone there with binoculars, try the Thompson Hill site. In NE or E winds: Thompson Hill. Directions: On I35S from Duluth, take the Boundary Ave exit. Take the immediate left onto West Skyline Parkway as if going to the Thompson Hill Rest Stop. Drive past the first rest stop entrance to the overlook directly below the rest stop. (You'll come to the second rest stop entrance if you go too far) What ACTIVITIES are going on during the spring count? For now, counting is the only activity taking place. Unless they're busy, the counters will be able to point out "viewable" birds. It can be a great time, especially for those not new to hawkwatching. If you're a complete beginner, however, I highly recommend visiting Hawk Ridge during the fall to take advantage of the knowledge of the volunteers and naturalists. Click here to keep an eye on the spring count numbers. The numbers are updated on a regular (usually daily) basis. |
