Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 08, 2023
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 1963 5416 7549
Osprey 0 2 53
Bald Eagle 0 5 77
Northern Harrier 11 42 397
Sharp-shinned Hawk 81 605 4362
Cooper's Hawk 3 8 19
American Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 4 8 8
Broad-winged Hawk 2 28 107610
Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 19 48 134
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 49 203 1188
Merlin 1 5 36
Peregrine Falcon 0 7 27
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 0 1
Unknown Falcon 0 0 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 2133 6377 121462
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Andrew Sturgess, Kevin Georg
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Jackie Quinones, Kevin Georg, Mark Hainen,
Michelle Peregord
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site and are very willing to share migration
information, photography and ID tips with them. We have cards and
pamphlets, so come and talk to us. However, during times of high traffic,
requiring extra focus and concentration, we would respectfully ask that
everyone use their indoor voices and allow us to fulfill our mission to the
best of our abilities. Thank you.
Weather:
Another day with very brisk winds testing our mettle. Coming from mostly
WNW at speeds around fifteen mph with serious gusts thrown in for good
measure, it dropped the real-feel temperatures by a few degrees and
affected the flight plans of all the birds. The actual temperature was
fifty-five degrees, and were it not for the relentless wind, it would have
been a pleasant fall day. The sky was not as splendiferous as yesterdays,
but nevertheless it provided a constantly changing tableau of cumulus
clouds of varying heft with enough open spaces to allow clear looks at the
higher wind-sculpted icy cirrus wisps. The barometer was falling today,
dropping a tenth and a half since the first hour of the day. This should
continue tomorrow as clouds move in, with rain predicted for the last half
of the week.
Raptor Observations:
One of the beneficial things for photographers is that difficult winds
bring the birds lower. One of the nonbeneficial things is that the sharpies
and kestrels are so erratic in their flight that they are hard to keep in
frame as they bounce up and down and zigzag across the sky. Today had
probably the highest winds we have seen and it probably diverted some of
the smaller birds away from our site. Those that flew by had trips that
made Cedar Point look tame by comparison. Turkey vultures are less affected
since they love free energy and are used to being tossed about. We had a
fairly steady stream today, although some of them did not follow a straight
line as they caucused and decided how to proceed. In the end, we totaled
1,963 red heads. Sharpies were next in line with eighty-one. We are seeing
some form of adult plumage on most sharp-shins now. Kestrels are still
trying hard, with forty-nine managing to slide by. Northern harriers seemed
to be flying high, avoiding turbulence at ground level for the most part,
with eleven being noted. We did have some buteos today with nineteen
red-tailed hawks, four red-shouldered hawks and two tardy broad-winged
hawks trying to catch up with their brethren. Three Cooperâs hawks, who
have a much more stable ride than the sharpies, passed through. Perhaps the
fastest bird of the day was a merlin who seemed supercharged by the
windâs energy.
Non-raptor Observations:
Pelicans were again noted this morning, making a brief appearance before
disappearing behind Celeron Island. An exact count was not possible, but
near twenty birds, give or take. We did see a couple of flights of
shorebirds today, one was thought to be yellowlegs and the other was not
identified. You donât get ideal views at our site and very little time to
decide. Canada geese were up in numbers stretching their wings today. A
large number of mallards shared the sky with them. A small flight of scaup
was noted too. The wind has really dropped the level of the lake and the
connected marsh waters. The great egrets are taking advantage of their food
being concentrated into shallower pools. Kingfishers were noted again
today, but not at our end of the slip, since their perch tree has been
felled. Plenty of mixed swallows and swifts are concentrated on the sky in
front of us, performing their usual aerobatics. Blue jays mostly sat this
one out with around 1,650 noted.
Predictions:
The forecast for tomorrow resembles todays but with more cloud cover.
Western winds will start to climb at the beginning of the watch from around
ten mph to near fifteen toward the end. Temperatures will be perhaps a
degree or two lower than today but the wind will also subtract a few
degrees. The barometer will continue to fall to 29.6â or so, but will
start to rise at the end of the watch. Hopefully, the turkey vultures will
continue to enjoy the pleasure of our company and fly by. Sharpies and
kestrels should continue to scrap their way into the wind if all goes well.
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Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess ([email protected])
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
More site information at hawkcount.org:
https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=285
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - Project info at:
https://dunkadoo.org/explore/detroit-river-international-wildlife-refuge/detroit-river-hawk-watch-fall-2023
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