Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 12, 2016 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 181 15103 16423 Osprey 0 4 22 Bald Eagle 0 25 79 Northern Harrier 0 60 283 Sharp-shinned Hawk 27 976 3482 Cooper's Hawk 1 39 83 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 35 36 Broad-winged Hawk 0 130 17529 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 1 318 452 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 0 53 531 Merlin 1 11 29 Peregrine Falcon 1 22 26 Unknown Accipiter 0 2 5 Unknown Buteo 0 17 26 Unknown Falcon 0 0 2 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 12 Total: 212 16796 39020 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Dustin Brewer Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Rosemary Brady Visitors: We only had a few visitors all day. The sugar maple beside the count site that is currently blazing in its fall garb provided some entertainment for them, even if the raptors did not. Weather: When we arrived, the temperature was cool but quickly warmed so that our jackets could be shed within the first hour. There was a light south wind all day, and the clouds increased to cover most of the sky by 10, after being mostly absent at the beginning of the count. The barometric pressure steadily decreased after 8. Raptor Observations: One could call today 'relaxing' because as counters there was little to do, and the weather for US was basically perfect. Apparently the weather was not perfect for the raptors, as, aside from a couple very distant TV kettles, we had an exceptionally slow day, with only a handful (if one can hold 27) of Accipiters, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Merlin. The dropping barometric pressure (a precursor of bad weather) may have been perceived by raptors in the area, causing them to not move much today over our site. Non-raptor Observations: We spotted several Rusty Blackbirds flying over the count site today, a couple distant Mute Swans, as well as our abundant friends of late, Red-winged Blackbirds (650+) and Blue Jays (775+). No Monarch butterflies today. Predictions: Tomorrow has the potential to be a good day considering that winds are predicted to be from the northwest which could guide TVs and raptors overhead. Further, the birds that didn't move today could move tomorrow. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Detroit River Hawk Watch (greg_norw...@fws.gov) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.drhawkwatch.org _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
