Each fall thousands of hawks and eagles pass through the Duluth sky on their way south. And the passing birds draw a good number of humans to a place called Hawk Ridge. Rainy days and days with an east wind are poor hawk-watching days. West winds often bring many hawks past the ridge. Palmersten says it's essential to have binoculars.
Most birds remain too distant from the ridge to see with the naked eye.
She also recommends warm clothing. Hawk Ridge is often windswept, and birdwatching can be a chilly pastime in the fall. Below, a thousand-foot freighter steams out of the Duluth harbor in the misty sunshine. Above, dozens of hawks seem to turn in unending circles, searching for updrafts that will lift them to cruising altitude for their long flight south. For watching birds of prey, or raptors, this is one of the best spots on the continent.