Raptorthon 2019
Count Interpreter, John Richardson (left), and Lead Counter, Frank Nicoletti (right)
We invite you to please sponsor Frank Nicoletti & the Hawk Ridge Spring Counters in the 2019 Raptorthon to support Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory and Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA)!
Spring has arrived and we’re happy to be back counting all the migrating birds at the West Skyline Spring Count here in Duluth, MN! One of the ongoing events to mark this welcome the spring migration is the annual Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) Raptorthon. The goal of the Raptorthon is to count the maximum number of raptor species within a 24-hour period of time. The proceeds raised are split between the participant’s hawkwatch site of choice and HMANA. Hawk Ridge has been monitoring the fall bird migration since the 1950’s, but did you know that the West Skyline Hawk Count Site ranks as one of the top in the US for numbers and diversity of raptors during the spring migration? The 2018 season was conducted from March 1 through May 29. A total of 32,603 raptors of 17 species
were counted, which was the second highest total in the history of WSHC with 33,228 in 2004. On March 21st of this year 2019, we also broke the North American 1-day high count of Bald Eagles with a total of 1,076!
Late April is perhaps the best time to see the wide variety and ages of raptors travelling through on their way north. We invite you to join Frank & the Hawk Ridge Spring Counters on the Raptorthon count day (Sunday, April 28th) and learn from one of America’s well-known birding experts! To sponsor Frank & his team, on behalf of Hawk Ridge & HMANA, please make your pledge by visiting: https://www.hmana.org/events/franknicoletti-the-hawk-ridge-spring-counters/
Again, 50% of your contribution will support HMANA, and 50% for Hawk Ridge, so join us and see if we can gain top ranking for species diversity in North America! Results of the Raptorthon are published each year in the Hawk Migration Studies Journal.
We thank you in advance for helping us raise money to support both Hawk Ridge & HMANA’s efforts in raptor conservation, monitoring and research programs!