September 11, 12 and 13, 2009
Duluth, Minnesota

The Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve in Duluth, Minnesota is one of North America's best places to experience the spectacle of the fall raptor migration. Migrating birds, including raptors and passerines, concentrate in impressive numbers at the western tip of Lake Superior. Some travel from as far away as the Arctic and pass through Duluth on their way to their wintering areas to the south. Reluctant to cross a large body of water, migrants funnel down the North Shore along the ridges that overlook the city. On a good day, visitors may see hundreds—even thousands—of birds flying by!

Come and celebrate the migration at our annual Hawk Weekend!

Friday evening is "An Evening for Everyone", including a social and refreshments, live birds, a twist on the "Guess-the-Number-of-Hawks Contest", and a presentation from Carrol Henderson.  Carrol has been the Minnesota DNR Nongame Wildlife Program supervisor since 1977 and has written several popular books about birds.  He will give an illustrated talk about his new book "Birds in Flight: the Art and Science of How Birds Fly".  This book combines the joy and wonder of witnessing birds flying and the science of how they accomplish it. Carrol will have his books available for purchase.

Saturday will offer a variety of field trips and seminars away from the Ridge, and hawkwatching, interpretive programs, banded hawk and passerine demonstrations, optics displays, merchandise, and refreshments at the Hawk Ridge Main Overlook.  Saturday evening offers a social and refreshments, our annual member meeting, a fabulous "sustainable" dinner, awards, an auction, and a keynote address, "Forty-five Years of Meandering the World of Raptors:  A Personal Odyssey – Dr. Patrick Redig, Professor of Avian Medicine and Surgery, Co-founder and former Director of The Raptor Center, University of Minnesota.

Sunday will offer a variety of field trips and many activities at the Hawk Ridge Main Overlook.

Field trip details...coming soon!

All activities at the Hawk Ridge Main Overlook are open to the public; everything else requires registration. For more details about Hawk Weekend, contact us at 218.428.6209 or mail@hawkridge.org.