Where to Watch Spring Hawk Migration Spring migration is much different than fall. In the spring, birds have a mission — to get to their breeding grounds on time for the best nesting spot and be there when there is the most food.   Breeding drives spring migration, which tends to be shorter than its fall […]

Big Big Bald Eagle Nests

Big Big Bald Eagle Nests Bald Eagles are the largest raptor in North America and are seen throughout the continental US, Canada and Alaska.  With a wingspan of over 7 feet, everything about this bird is oversized.  From a lifespan over several decades to their overall size of up to 14 pounds for females in […]

Snowy Owls and Airports

IN THE NEWS:  Snowy Owls and Airports Snowy owls are coming into the US in record numbers this year, and are being seen as far south as South Carolina! If you enjoyed reading about the current irruption of Snowy owls last month in our newsletter, you might be interested in this news story. Snowy owls like […]

Gale Force Migration

Gale Force Migration Bird migration is heavily linked to weather patterns and systems as they move across the country.  In the fall, fast Cormorants migrating moving northwest winds, especially ahead of a front, help speed migrating birds ahead of tempestuous weather.  But fall migration coincides with another huge event in North America —  hurricane season […]

Making Tracks with Ospreys

Making Tracks With Ospreys Ospreys are the second most widespread raptor in the world — second only to Red-Tailed hawks.  Colloquially known as the Fish Hawk, Osprey make their annual southbound journey each year starting as early as August.  This fall, Ospreys have been counted again in the thousands migrating through some of the biggest migration […]

Helping Injured Hawks – My Own Story

Hawks and eagles are top predators. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have challenges — most of which come from humans. From hitting power lines and being injured or killed in windfarms while hunting birds to being hit by cars, shot (often intentionally) and poisoned, raptors needs our help – even more than most other […]

Peregrine on the Beach

Why do Peregrine falcons sitting on the beach seem so unnatural to me? Seeing them soaring over the city or swooping over flocks of shorebirds on migration is how I think of them. Their drives into flocks of shorebirds create changing elliptical masses of birds intent on confusing their attacker. The shapes the shorebird flocks […]

Raptors on the Roof

I was having breakfast on our roofdeck this morning with my husband and we were enjoying a gorgeous summer day. Directly across from us on the next building there was a lot of commotion. A mockingbird was doing aerobatics flying at another bird on the roof. We got our binoculars to see what it was […]