Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 25, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 54 1151 1151 Osprey 1 49 49 Bald Eagle 0 67 67 Northern Harrier 1 323 323 Sharp-shinned Hawk 31 3561 3561 Cooper's Hawk 0 8 8 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 24 107434 107434 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 1 66 66 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 1 903 903 Merlin 0 29 29 Peregrine Falcon 2 18 18 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 1 1 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 115 113611 113611 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 5.5 hours Official Counter: Kevin Georg Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Jackie Quinones, Mark Hainen 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: There is a show on Netflix called A Stupid and Futile Gesture, not sure what it’s about, but I was wondering if it applied to us today as we sat waiting for raptors to move. We were an hour late getting out of the blocks today due to light rain, although it may have more appropriately called heavy mist. The promised winds were indeed from the NE for the most part, but rose and fell in a manic manner. It was during one of those lulls in the afternoon that we did start to see birds but that was short lived. The wind was too strong for our site the majority of the time, so it’s difficult to say what was actually moving today. The cloud cover was heavy stratus except for one small aperture showing blue that was quickly replaced by much darker rain bearing clouds. We terminated the watch during the final hour when we felt that moisture from above, although we did not miss much by leaving a few minutes early. It was cooler today, the temperature staying in the high sixties, the robust NE wind subtracting a few degrees. The barometer stayed above 30 inches but the view was hardly classic high-pressure, clear skies. It was a very dull day in both appearance and activity. Raptor Observations: As might be expected, the turkey vultures led the way today with fifty-four showing up. They came in small groups, the most in a kettle was seven, but that will improve in the coming days. Good ole sharpies managed to retain second place but with a relatively anemic thirty-one specimens. Broad-wings are still moving in small numbers, we totaled twenty-four today. The only other species that managed more than one was the peregrine falcon with two. Other species with only one witness willing to testify were the ospreys, Northern harriers, red-tailed hawks and kestrels. Non-raptor Observations: The swallows were back in numbers today but most were very high aloft. Our pair of sandhill cranes were patrolling the entrance road to the park. More trees continue to receive haircuts nearby, even the kingfisher perch was whacked today. Thankfully, we were spared the log chipper operating nearby as they carried large logs off in a truck. I could see cormorants on the lake in the morning but further out than they usually venture. We didn’t see any blue jays today but I suspect the wind was to blame. A pair of pied-billed grebes were diving under the vegetation to our right. Predictions: There continues to be a line of blue at the bottom of the forecast, meaning rain may be a possibility, heavy cloud cover will be a definite occurrence. Temperatures will be about the same as today, in the upper range of the sixties. The barometer will continue to climb, even though the weather we experience will not reflect that. As for winds, the prediction is essentially the same as for today, but that means nothing. The winds should turn to the SE in the morning hours and rise in strength, but that means nothing. Thunderstorms in the morning may be possible so we may have some time off tomorrow as well. Not a promising day, but that means nothing as well. Cheers, Andrew ======================================================================== Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (ajyes72@gmail.com) 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