DRHW- Lake Erie Metropark
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 17, 2010
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 30 127 127
Osprey 4 33 33
Bald Eagle 13 85 85
Northern Harrier 29 59 59
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2077 3120 3120
Cooper's Hawk 18 63 63
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 7111 11098 11098
Red-tailed Hawk 24 135 135
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 69 150 150
Merlin 3 9 9
Peregrine Falcon 2 9 9
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Prairie Falcon 0 1 1
Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1
Total: 9380 14890 14890
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 16:15:00
Total observation time: 9.25 hours
Official Counter: Rob Payne
Observers: Fred Kirn, Greg Norwood, Jeff Schultz, Jim Maki,
Joe Hildrith, John Elliott, Rodney Laura, Tim McAfee
Visitors:
51 visitors were counted today.
Weather:
Winds were out of the northwest in the morning so that Pointe Mouillee
State Game Area had a significantly larger volume of birds before noon.
However, winds switched to the southeast in the afternoon and most of the
passage was seen from the Lake Erie Metropark Boat Launch.
Raptor Observations:
Broad-winged hawk migration was heavy at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in
the morning with the northerly winds. The winds shifted to the southeast
and numbers of broad-winged hawks were more modest in the afternoon when
all counters were stationed at Lake Erie Metropark Boat Launch. However,
the 2-3PM EDT hour exhibited very heavy migration volume of sharp-shinned
hawks. The daily average number of sharp-shinned hawks at this peak time of
the year is approximately 500 and we tallied 2,077 today. Today's flight of
24 red-tailed hawks was much higher than the average of 10 on the previous
16 September 17ths. A late afternoon turkey vulture push coincided with a
very impressive flight of bald eagles in the final two hours. Bald eagles
are on track for a record-setting year (see summary statistics available at
www.drhawkwatch.org under the resources tab). Today's count of 13 is twice
as large as the daily average of below 5 at this time of the year.
Non-raptor Observations:
An American pipit flew over in the afternoon, as well as a least sandpiper.
A northern saw-whet owl was heard in the wetland areas behind the count
site. Numerous warbler species were present around the count site.
Predictions:
Winds will be from the southwest tomorrow. There is a chance of rain over
the next couple of days. The winds will be from the northeast on Sunday,
which will create more ideal conditions for another large push of
broad-wings. The Annual Hawk Fest is occurring on Saturday and Sunday.
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Report submitted by Greg Norwood ([email protected])
SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark information may be found at:
http://www.drhawkwatch.org
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