Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 24, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 1 3423 89248 Osprey 0 0 52 Bald Eagle 3 56 160 Northern Harrier 0 34 496 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 186 6886 Cooper's Hawk 0 30 84 American Goshawk 0 3 4 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 229 454 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 103456 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Red-tailed Hawk 18 2152 3464 Rough-legged Hawk 0 7 20 Golden Eagle 3 122 133 American Kestrel 0 5 1276 Merlin 0 12 58 Peregrine Falcon 0 16 63 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: 28 6275 205858 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Kevin Georg Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Michelle Peregord, 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: Temperatures were challenging today as they barely crept above the freezing mark but abundant sunshine took the edge off the cold somewhat. The winds remained in the N with a slight shift to the west towards the end of the watch. The barometer did most of its climb overnight but still crept up a little during the day. Clouds were never a prominent part of the scenery, changing from icy cirrus to a meager collection of cumulus clouds, and at times completely absent, leaving a pure blue sky. The wind was up and down in the five to ten mph range, staying in the upper part for the most part. This may have been a little too strong for our site as several birds chose to stay far out over the lake. Raptor Observations: The wind did not open the cornucopia for us today, but any more birds at this time of the season are just gravy. There are probably plenty of birds out there waiting to move but the stars have to align for us to see them. Red-tailed hawks led the way today with eighteen. Both the eagles, bald and golden tied for second place with three souls. Two sharpies were seen. One red-shouldered and one turkey vulture were also noted. Non-raptor Observations: A small flight of pelicans was seen off in the distance today. A pair of, probably, common loons were seen through hazy conditions and choppy seas out by the rock jetty today. A flight of buffleheads raced through. The Carolina wren and red-bellied woodpecker provided the soundtrack. An industrious blue jay was retrieving whole peanuts from Gibraltar. The local bald eagles were up in the wind today, playing their eagle games at times. Flights of finch-sized birds continue to be seen in the area. Predictions: Tomorrow will set the stage for a potentially snowy and rainy Sunday. Clouds will increase and cover most of the sky. The barometer will peak in the early morning hours and start to fall during the watch. The temperatures will be a little higher than today. Winds should subside to less than five mph, although very low winds are usually known to wander about the compass, they are predicted to be mostly WNW. Will the birds come? Maybe, maybe not. Light winds are not their favorite condition, but the falling barometer may encourage some of them to get out of Dodge before the bad weather arrives. ======================================================================== 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