Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 12, 2012
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 10671 24366 28114
Osprey 1 14 66
Bald Eagle 1 56 177
Northern Harrier 4 35 167
Sharp-shinned Hawk 36 832 2462
Cooper's Hawk 6 46 183
Northern Goshawk 0 0 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 6 16 34
Broad-winged Hawk 0 3 40922
Swainson's Hawk 0 0 3
Red-tailed Hawk 64 177 363
Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1
Golden Eagle 0 1 1
American Kestrel 4 98 470
Merlin 0 6 27
Peregrine Falcon 0 7 23
Unknown Accipiter 1 10 30
Unknown Buteo 1 4 18
Unknown Falcon 0 0 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 6 20 56
Total: 10801 25692 73119
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 17:15:00
Total observation time: 10.25 hours
Official Counter: Jonathan Stein
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, John Elliott, Patrick Mulawa,
Raburn Howland
Visitors:
Greg Smith, Rodney Laura, Jim Lynch, Mark Wloch, Rick Nirschl, Larry
Snyder, Justin Otani, Russell Conard and a handful of others.
Weather:
Alternating between clear blue and partly cloudy skies, temperatures
remained moderate throughout. The wind was strong out of the northwest in
the early going, weakening and shifting more toward the east as the day
progressed.
Raptor Observations:
We had an outstanding late day Turkey Vulture flight today. With the wind
calming and shifting more easterly in the afternoon, the flight line, which
was well south of us in the morning, began to come closer and closer.
Eventually, around 3 pm, our many vultures started streaming out right
overhead and continued to do so for a couple hours. The day's big highlight
came earlier, however, when a dark morph adult Red-tailed Hawk circled low
over the parking lot in the late morning.
Non-raptor Observations:
American Crows (200+) made their first respectable showing of the season.
There will be many more to come.
Predictions:
Overcast with highs in the mid 60s and moderate wind out of the south.
There is an 80 percent chance of rain after noon.
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Report submitted by Jonathan Stein ([email protected])
SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark information may be found at:
http://www.drhawkwatch.org
Site Description:
The primary site used by the Detroit River Hawk Watch (a joint venture of
the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and it's Friends group, the
International Wildlife Refuge Alliance) is the Boat Launch at Lake Erie
Metropark located approximately 20 miles south of Detroit, Michigan. A
secondary site, the Headquarters of Pointe Mouillee State Game Area is used
during certain wind conditions. When staffing is available, both sites can
be used at the same time. The season begins on the first day of September
and concludes on the final day of November. For details and directions, log
on to www.drhawkwatch.org
Directions to site:
Lake Erie Metropark:
>From I-75, exit at Huron River Drive (exit 27). Continue east on Huron
River Drive. Turn left on West Jefferson and proceed a few hundred yards to
the entrance of Lake Erie Metropark. After paying the entrance fee, follow
the signs to the Boat Launch.
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to [email protected]
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
