Haehnle Sanctuary Birding Tour

Jackson Audubon kicked off the 2025 tour season with a raptor-filled tour of Haehnle Sanctuary.  Nine JAS members bundled up for a walk on the property.  I thought it might be a good morning when Gary Siegrist spotted a Northern Harrier while we were still getting grouped in the parking lot.

The view from the Harold Wing overlook was wonderful, even though there was not much bird activity at the start.  We walked down a seasonal trail we have cut between the eastern edge of the grassland and the forest area.  Some American Robins were active in there.  We did not get the sparrow activity I’d have liked walking west along the bottom border of the grassland.  We continued past the apple tree viewing area and toward the dike trail toward Eagle Lake viewing platform. 

Near the dike we spotted a Red Tail Hawk and a very distant Bald Eagle.  While at Eagle Lake a Rough-legged Hawk was spotted but quickly went out of view.  Another Bald Eagle was seen along the shore as well as a flock of Eastern Bluebirds.

We got a Pileated and some other woodpeckers in the forest.  Once out of the woods, the view and the sun opened a bit for us.  In rapid succession, Gary Siegrist spotted a Northern Shrike, while the Rough-legged Hawk returned, while a pair of bald Eagle came in from the other direction while the immature Golden Eagle was spotted directly above us, very high up.   Our raptor count was five. But if you count the shrike, a.k.a. Butcher bird, we got an even half-dozen hunters for the morning.

(Joanna Sblendorio)

After we returned to the overlook, we carpooled over the western edge of the sanctuary.  We drove to the Wooster Rd. parking lot by the Portage River Bridge.  On our half mile walk on the path we had lots of birds working both the river and wetland pool sides of the dike.  We saw just one Bald Eagle on this part of the walk but our only mature eagle. 

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) (Don Henise)

eBird Checklists:

Main Sanctuary:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S208442551

Wooster Rd. Dike:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S208442878

Trip list:  https://ebird.org/tripreport/317860