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photo by
Debbie Waters |
Visit the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve
Directions
l Hawk Ridge News l
Trail Maps l
Programs
When is the Best Time to Visit?
Hawks begin migrating
past Hawk Ridge in mid-August and continue through
November. The "Big Days", when we can get
tens of thousands of
Broad-winged Hawks flying over,
generally occur from September 10-25.
October is great for
viewing the migration, too, as we get good numbers of the "big"
birds...Bald and Golden Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, Red-tailed
Hawks and Northern Goshawks. Naturalists are on site from September
1 through the end of October.
Click here to see the raptor
count numbers.
Hawkwatching, unlike most other wildlife
activities, is best during the middle of the day.
Generally, the raptors don't start flying until 8am, and they
taper off after 4pm. So plan your trip during the middle of the day:
between 10am and 2pm is best.
Weather plays a huge factor in the quality
of the flight--in fact, it's MORE important than
the date. Winds from the west or northwest are best for
bringing us big numbers of birds. If you come up on a day with south
or east winds, expect the flight to be slower.
Raptor Resources?
We have a number of resources to help you
better identify raptors in flight and learn about their natural
history. Just print them off and bring them with you!
Raptors in
Flight ID sheet--for beginners; identify to raptor groups
Raptors in Flight ID
brochure--for the more experienced; identify to individual species
Raptors at a
Glance--natural history information on Hawk Ridge raptors
Regular bird guides are not much use in
identifying raptors in flight, so here are some other resources WE
USE & RECOMMEND:
Sutton, Dunne &
Sibley's HAWKS IN FLIGHT: this contains a lot of text about
identifying raptors in flight based mainly upon silhouettes and
behavior. The really bad photos in the back are perfect for testing
your skills--after all, do we get GREAT looks at all the birds
moving through?
Wheeler & Clark's
A PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN RAPTORS: filled with
excellent photography of raptors, not only in flight, but also
perched. Includes information on identifying raptors not only to
species, but also to age, morph, subspecies, race and sex.
Liguori's HAWKS
FROM EVERY ANGLE: again, a lot of great photographs and text. This
is a halfway point between the previous two books, focusing on
flight, behavior & silhouettes through text and photographs.
What do we Need to Bring?
Binoculars are a must! At times the hawks are so far away, or are
soaring so high that they are impossible to see with the naked eye.
The overlook staff has
binoculars to loan.
Dress for the weather! Weather is always more extreme at the Main
Overlook on Hawk Ridge. Make sure to bring warm, windproof
clothing. Of course, it does get sunny & hot on the Ridge, too, so
bring some sunscreen & a hat with a brim in case of balmy weather
(but don't worry about this in late October!).
Don't forget a snack and beverage.
Bring a chair! We do not provide
seating, although there are large rocks available on a first-come,
first-served basis.
If you plan to do any hiking on the Hawk Ridge trails, hiking
boots are a good choice; at the very least, tennis shoes must be worn.
The trails are very rugged.
Pets?
The land at Hawk Ridge belongs to the City of
Duluth and there is a leash law within the city limits.
Although we all love dogs, we do not encourage people to bring their
dog to Hawk Ridge, especially on busy weekends.
If you need to bring your dog along, we ask
that you keep your dog on a short leash (4' maximum). Dogs
that bark or are not friendly toward adults, kids or other dogs MUST
NOT be brought to Hawk Ridge. Calm, friendly, quiet,
well-behaved dogs are welcome.
Hawk Ridge provides plenty of opportunity for
dogs to get into trouble--there are a lot of children, food,
expensive scopes on tripods and birds in the hand. Please be
vigilant. Also, come prepared to pick up after your dog.
What Amenities are Available?
Food vendor service is available for lunch every weekend from mid-September through mid-October, selling
brats, hot dogs, vegetarian choices, water, soda, chips, and hot
drinks.
A portable toilet
is also available during the fall season.
What Activities are Available?
The Hawk Ridge overlook staff
is available at the main
overlook every
day during September and October. Demonstrations
with banded raptors and passerines, "adoptions",
and releases regularly take place each day.
(Note: the timing and regularity of demonstrations with banded
birds depends upon the quality of the flight and the number of birds
our banders are able to catch and band that day.) The
overlook staff is also on site to help
with raptor identification, answer questions,
and sell Hawk Ridge merchandise. Regularly
scheduled public programs are
also available throughout the season.
Want to "adopt" a raptor when you visit?
Our Adopt a Raptor program is a fun, meaningful way for us to
fund our education and research activities. Participants get to hold
"their" bird, get their picture taken and then release it back into
the wild. We send each adopter a packet of information about their
bird, including pictures, a certificate with their bird's
information, fact sheets and a letter of thanks. Adopting a
raptor is easy! Simply stop at our table upon your arrival
and ask to be put on the list. The availability of some raptors is
limited, so we recommend being flexible in your choice. Selecting
"any species" will allow you to either accept or pass on birds (in
which case you would stay on the list) that become available.
You will also notice the hawk counters at the
main overlook; however,
they are searching the sky & counting the thousands of raptors
(and songbirds) that
fly past Hawk Ridge, so please direct any
questions/comments to a naturalist or a
volunteer. Some fun links:
adopt a raptor
|
public programs
|
adopt a passerine
|
raptor count |
photography |
trail map |
volunteer
Cost and Parking:
There is no charge. If you enjoy your
experience at Hawk Ridge, please consider
becoming a member or
contributing a donation
to help support our education and research programs. Hawk
Ridge is a private non-profit organization that is supported
through memberships, donations, adoptions and merchandise sales.
The
main overlook is located along Skyline Parkway, a city roadway in
Duluth. Access is by car and parking is available along the roadway
near the main overlook.
Handicapped parking is available at the main overlook. Busses
and other large vehicles can drive through the main overlook and
turn around at a large parking area a little over a mile past the
overlook.
Complete directions can be found
here.
Questions?
If you've read the information above and
haven't found the answer to your question, please let us know!
Direct additional questions to
mail@hawkridge.org or call
us at 218.428.6209. |