Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 18, 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 1 2964 65222 Osprey 0 0 18 Bald Eagle 1 67 205 Northern Harrier 0 20 340 Sharp-shinned Hawk 5 86 3482 Cooper's Hawk 3 38 113 American Goshawk 0 2 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 151 324 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 6785 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Red-tailed Hawk 14 1031 1962 Rough-legged Hawk 0 4 18 Golden Eagle 0 73 117 American Kestrel 0 1 410 Merlin 0 2 25 Peregrine Falcon 0 4 32 Unknown Accipiter 0 3 18 Unknown Buteo 0 16 47 Unknown Falcon 0 0 13 Unknown Eagle 0 3 6 Unknown Raptor 0 2 30 Total: 25 4467 79170 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:15:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 6.75 hours Official Counter: Michael Patrikeev Observers: Jerry Jourdan, Rosemary Brady Visitors: We welcome visitors to our site by the boat launch in Lake Erie Metropark. We have brochures and educational information we are happy to share. Let us share our enthusiasm for migration and raptors with you! While we welcome your questions and company, please know that our professional counter, apprentices, and volunteers must communicate with each other frequently to successfully conduct the count, and they also must maintain an unobstructed view of the horizon. Weather: Fog lifted ca. 09:15 AM, but it was still hazy until noon. In the morning, wind was so light, the flags hardly moved at all. Around 1 PM, it shifted to the south, but did not exceed 10 km/hour (6 mi/hr) at any given time. Temperature between +9 and +13C (48-55F). Barometric pressure was dropping steadily. Raptor Observations: Low numbers. Red-tailed Hawks "outnumbered" other species again (14 of 25). It was nice to see Sharp-shins (5) and one Red-shouldered Hawk; both were absent from our counts for 4-5 days. A lone Turkey Vulture sailed over the canal, searching for his friends. Local Bald Eagles were active in late afternoon; two pairs were involved, perhaps in a territorial dispute. Earlier in the day, we saw a 4th year bird (in the fourth basic plumage, with dark remaining on the head and rectrices). Non-raptor Observations: Corvids: 34 American Crows and one Blue Jay. A flock of ca. 50 Rusty Blackbirds by the wetland at the count site. American Tree Sparrow - 2. Predictions: Rain (4-5 mm) is expected tomorrow, between 9 AM and 7 PM, most intensive in the morning. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Erika Van Kirk (erika_vankirk@fws.gov) 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