Week 2 of the Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch has come and gone. This week, Calvin counted 168 raptors crossing the Straits, with Bald Eagles leading the group at 45 individuals making up 27% of the count. The Bald Eagles were followed closely by Red-tailed Hawks at 24% of the total count.
No count was conducted on 3/16, so the week’s observations started 3/17. A sunny, pleasant day wound up slower than expected, with only 31 raptors observed, most of them being Bald Eagles. The numbers picked up and totaled 64 birds on 3/18, among moderate winds and sunny weather which became overcast late in the day. Red-tailed Hawks led the charge at 25 individuals, though the overall numbers are staying considerably lower than observed in week 1.
The rest of the week continued sleepily, with numbers never surpassing 30 birds a day. The migration was diverse despite the lull on 3/20, including a Merlin, Golden Eagles, Rough-legged, Red-shouldered, and Red-tailed Hawks, a Northern Harrier, a Turkey Vulture, and a few Bald Eagles. March 21’s flight was noted as sporadic by Calvin, but did include a sighting of the first of season Common Loon at the count site. Finally, the last day of the week 3/22 saw a nice pulse of Bald and Golden Eagles, with some snow showers later in the day.
Week 2 saw a significant dip in raptor numbers migrating over the Straits. With weather conditions staying chilly and precipitation on the horizon, we may expect to see similarly low numbers during week 3. If you come to visit this week, dress warm!
