Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 01, 2023
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 666 666 91294
Osprey 0 0 53
Bald Eagle 2 2 112
Northern Harrier 1 1 471
Sharp-shinned Hawk 23 23 6814
Cooper's Hawk 0 0 58
American Goshawk 0 0 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 17 17 294
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 107691
Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1
Red-tailed Hawk 83 83 1477
Rough-legged Hawk 1 1 16
Golden Eagle 1 1 14
American Kestrel 0 0 1284
Merlin 0 0 46
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 49
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 0 2
Unknown Falcon 0 0 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 794 794 209679
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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, Jackie Quinones,
Kevin Georg, Rosemary Brady, Sam Heilman
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:
The NW wind was not a horn of plenty today, producing a moderate count of
birds. It was sandwiched between days of SW winds though, and yesterday had
inclement weather thrown in for good measure. Some of the western
lake-effect snow-belt areas got six to eight inches of snow yesterday. Our
site had a light dusting that stayed white on the fallen leaves that were
shaded for some time. Temperatures that were below freezing at the start of
the watch helped in that regard. They eventually reached forty-one degrees,
saving us from descending into a state of torpor. The winds did change
directions a little as the day went on, causing the flight line to wander
and it ended the day at WNW with birds extremely high, flying just below
the bottoms of the hefty cumulus clouds. The barometer reached the 30.34â
mark today, that is pretty high as well.
Raptor Observations:
Turkey vultures took a couple of hours to lift off but ended the day with
666. I wish that were not so, but it is the correct number, he said, making
the sign of the cross. (Some of the current counts shown in the totals for
the day do not include the last hourâs birds, as I write this. We are
trying to correct this.) The red-tailed hawks were taking advantage of the
winds to tag along in the vulture streams, we tallied eighty-three today.
Sharpies continued to fly by with a count of twenty-three. Red-shoulders
totaled seventeen, flapping harder than their big brother red-tails. Two
bald eagles were counted. Only one harrier made the clicker today. One
rough-legged was also noted. A solo golden eagle also cruised through to
the delight of visitors present at the time.
Non-raptor Observations:
The little gull moved into the slip today as the wind was from a new
direction. It, and a small band of Bonaparteâs, did laps into the wind as
they dove for minnows foolish enough to visit the waterâs surface. Tundra
swans were seen and heard overhead, their whoops announcing their presence.
Significant lines of ducks were seen off in the distance to the east. Crows
were also slow off the mark today but had some nice murders move through in
midday and the afternoon hours. A small group of dunlin flew by in the
morning.
Predictions:
The winds will be out of the SW tomorrow by the time we start the watch.
Although we may see an hour of single digit speeds, winds will accelerate
up to fourteen mph by watchâs end. I suspect a slow afternoon. Perhaps an
Elizabeth Park kind of day as the northern track will be favored.
Temperatures will start to rise tomorrow and gradually reach the upper
fifties in about four days. The high pressure will remain but the cold air
will condense moisture from the south into clouds, leaving a little room
for sunshine to peek through. On paper, not a promising day, but there is
always something to see in the great outdoors.
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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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