Ninth Weekend of Banding 2025

Hello Everyone,

This is my ninth report of the 2025 banding season, covering the weekend of November 1st, 2025.

Saturday, November 1st

Trudi and I drove up to Hawk Harbor Saturday morning to meet Brynn around 9:00 am. Rick was home for the weekend, so the three of us packed into our van and drove to the banding blind. The weather forecast earlier in the week called for Northwest winds, so we were optimistic as we set up the banding station. However, the winds for that day were minimal and would shift around to the South-south-west by that afternoon. At 10:00 am, we were ready to start.

The morning dragged by with some eagles and lots of Ravens going by but no hawks to be seen. At noon, we took a lunch break and then started seeing some Red-tailed hawks also starting to move, but all of them were passing over super high up. We were about to give up hope, when at 2:35 pm, we heard a loud "WHOOOSH"! An adult Red-tailed hawk flashed by the blind right into the front net! We didn't even see it coming in from the South along the tree line. The big surprise was that it was a banded bird! We recorded the band number, checked measurements, took some photos, and Brynn released it.

After we released the banded adult red-tail, we started seeing some more red-tails and some Rough-legged hawks passing by. One of the rough-legs made a pass at the fake owl. About fifteen minutes after the first red-tail, a young Red-tailed hawk dropped down from out right side and plowed into the net! While we were banding that one, we noticed it had odd shaped pupils! We banded it, recorded the measurements, took some photos and Trudi released it.

About fifteen minutes after we released the second red-tail, another young red-tail dropped in from the South. We processed that bird and I released it. At 4:45 pm, our fourth and last bird of the day was another young Red-tailed hawk that made a long slanting stoop from out over the other end of the field. It is such a treat to see a hawk "lock on" from way out and make that long approach right in front of you!

We closed down at 5:15 pm, and went to the Culver's in Two Harbors for supper. When we got back to Hawk Harbor, we set a net to see if we might get some Saw-whet owls. Brynn bravely made the net checks until 11:00 pm, but we didn't catch anything.

We got a total of 4 birds and no bounce-outs on Saturday.

4 Red-tailed hawks.

Sunday, November 2nd

Sunday morning, Trudi, Brynn, and I were back out at the banding station and ready to go at 8:30 am. The weather, as usual, had changed quite a bit from what was forecast earlier! Strong winds were blasting out of the South-south-west, causing birds to struggle hard, trying to make way. We could see huge white caps out on the lake and there was a small craft advisory in effect.

We started seeing Bald eagles moving right away. They seemed to enjoy the strong winds and hung motionless in the wind for a lot of the time. About an hour after we started, a shrike came hunting up the draw. It sat by the fake owl for a while, and then headed off into the woods north of us.

We had some Rough-legged hawks pass over but they weren't interested in our lure. We did have two adult Red-tailed hawks make what looked like serious attempts at our rig, but at the last second, they both pulled up and sat in the trees over us for a while before moving on. Later, a lone Northern harrier dropped into the field to hunt, but didn't come anywhere near us.

Around noon, the weather got even worse as rain clouds started building and it looked like they would soon be over us. Not wishing to pack out wet gear, we reluctantly closed down for the season at 1:15 pm.

We got a total of 0 birds and no bounce-outs on Sunday.

A Skunked Day!!! 

4 total birds for the weekend.

80 total birds for the season.

Please help hawks by supporting:

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory (www.hawkridge.org)

Midwest Peregrine Society (https://midwestperegrine.umn.edu/)

National Eagle Center (www.nationaleaglecenter.org)

Raptor Resource Project (https://www.raptorresource.org/)

The Raptor Center (www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu)

Twin Cities Metro Osprey Watch (http://ospreywatch.blogspot.com/)

Keep your eyes on the skies!

Trudi & Frank Taylor

1. Our first bird of the day, an adult banded Red-tailed hawk.

2. An adult Red-tailed hawk.

3. Trudi, Brynn, and Frank holding the red-tail.

4. It still had some unmolted feathers.

5. An adult Red-tailed hawk.

6. Brynn holding the red-tail.

7. Brynn releasing the red-tail.

8. Away goes the pre-banded bird.

9. A Rough-legged hawk buzzed the fake owl.

10. It passed over us, but wasn't interested.

11. Brynn searching for hawks.

12. Brynn getting the second red-tail out of the net.

13. Brynn banding the second red-tail of the day.

14. Trudi recording the data.

15. Trudi, Brynn, and Frank holding the young red-tail.

16. It had odd shaped pupils.

17. The young Red-tailed hawk.

18. Trudi holding the young red-tail.

19. Trudi releasing the young red-tail.

20. Our third bird of the day, another young Red-tailed hawk.

21. Frank banding the young red-tail.

22. Trudi, Brynn, and Frank with another young Red-tailed hawk.

23. Frank releasing the red-tail.

24. Another young Red-tailed hawk.

25. Frank getting the red-tail out of the net.

26. Frank banding the red-tail.

27. A young Red-tailed hawk.

28. The young Red-tailed hawk.

29. Brynn releasing the red-tail.

30. Off it goes with some new jewelry to show its friends.

31. Red sky in morning, sailor take warning!

32. The lake was angry that day!

33. A shrike stopped by to visit our fake owl.

34. A Rough-legged hawk passing by.

35. He gave us a look, but wasn't interested.

36. Eagles and hawks were passing us by.

37. The eagles seemed to enjoy the strong winds.

38. We started seeing more red-tails.

39. This one seemed interested.

40. It looked like it would come right in.

41. At the last second, it pulled up into the trees.

42. Another Red-tailed hawk coming close.

43. This one also looked like a sure thing.

44. It started to dive in.

45. This one also pulled up into the trees above us.

46. A lone Northern harrier coming in.

47. Scanning the field for food.

48. It made a couple attempts, but got nothing.

49. Sunday we had to end the season with the "Wish Bird" symbol. No hawks today!

50. Our fake owl served us well this season. It's the last thing we pack up.