Season two of HawkWatch International (HWI) leading the count at the Tubac HawkWatch begins! From now through April, our team of two HWI crew members—and many local friends and partners—will be counting daily (weather permitting).
Founded by local resident Peter Collins in 2013, HWI officially added the Tubac HawkWatch to the Migration Monitoring Network in 2024. The hawkwatch is unique among US sites for its significant numbers of southwestern species like the Common Black Hawk, Gray Hawk, and Zone-tailed Hawk that pass through on migration—making it one of the few US sites providing population trends for these species. This is especially important for species that rely on habitat along waterways, like the Common Black Hawk, given the risks these habitats face from climate change.
We’re also excited to work with our local partners, the Tubac Nature Center and Tucson Bird Alliance, for the annual festival—BlackHawk Up, from March 13th through the 18th. Several HWI staff will be on-site alongside our crew that week. We hope to see you then!
Now, let us introduce you to our amazing crew this 2025 season!
Melissa Marshall
Melissa has previously worked with HawkWatch International at the Goshute Mountains HawkWatch and on the Raven Project and is excited to be working the spring migration this year! She graduated from the University of California, Davis, where she studied Wildlife and Conservation Biology and has since worked with a variety of bird and mammal species. She can’t wait to spend time with the unique birds in southern Arizona (raptors and songbirds alike) and photograph as many critters as possible. When she’s not birding for work or fun, she spends her free time cross-stitching, running, and spoiling her adorable dogs. Her favorite raptor is the Merlin.
Bridger Houston
Bridger has a Bachelor’s in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from CU Boulder. His previous field experience includes usingglass to determine color bands on barn swallows and banding them. Bridger has tangentially surveyed raptors for the Forest Service on the Wyoming plains and done more intensive Goshawk surveys on timber projects. He is most looking forward to making new contacts in the conservation field as he continues his career. For fun, Bridger enjoys fishing, hunting, hiking, and the occasional video game. His favorite raptor is the Golden Eagle.
If you need help planning your trip or are curious about how the count is going throughout the season, join our “Friends of Tubac HawkWatch” Facebook group! You can chat directly with our crew and other bird nerds excited about the spring count.
This blog was written by Sammy Riccio, our Communications Manager, as well as our 2025 crewmembers. You can learn more about Sammy here.
