Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 08, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 1963 5416 7549 Osprey 0 2 53 Bald Eagle 0 5 77 Northern Harrier 11 42 397 Sharp-shinned Hawk 81 605 4362 Cooper's Hawk 3 8 19 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 4 8 8 Broad-winged Hawk 2 28 107610 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 19 48 134 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 49 203 1188 Merlin 1 5 36 Peregrine Falcon 0 7 27 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 1 Unknown Falcon 0 0 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 2133 6377 121462 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, Don Sherwood, Jackie Quinones, Kevin Georg, Mark Hainen, Michelle Peregord 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: Another day with very brisk winds testing our mettle. Coming from mostly WNW at speeds around fifteen mph with serious gusts thrown in for good measure, it dropped the real-feel temperatures by a few degrees and affected the flight plans of all the birds. The actual temperature was fifty-five degrees, and were it not for the relentless wind, it would have been a pleasant fall day. The sky was not as splendiferous as yesterdays, but nevertheless it provided a constantly changing tableau of cumulus clouds of varying heft with enough open spaces to allow clear looks at the higher wind-sculpted icy cirrus wisps. The barometer was falling today, dropping a tenth and a half since the first hour of the day. This should continue tomorrow as clouds move in, with rain predicted for the last half of the week. Raptor Observations: One of the beneficial things for photographers is that difficult winds bring the birds lower. One of the nonbeneficial things is that the sharpies and kestrels are so erratic in their flight that they are hard to keep in frame as they bounce up and down and zigzag across the sky. Today had probably the highest winds we have seen and it probably diverted some of the smaller birds away from our site. Those that flew by had trips that made Cedar Point look tame by comparison. Turkey vultures are less affected since they love free energy and are used to being tossed about. We had a fairly steady stream today, although some of them did not follow a straight line as they caucused and decided how to proceed. In the end, we totaled 1,963 red heads. Sharpies were next in line with eighty-one. We are seeing some form of adult plumage on most sharp-shins now. Kestrels are still trying hard, with forty-nine managing to slide by. Northern harriers seemed to be flying high, avoiding turbulence at ground level for the most part, with eleven being noted. We did have some buteos today with nineteen red-tailed hawks, four red-shouldered hawks and two tardy broad-winged hawks trying to catch up with their brethren. Three Cooper’s hawks, who have a much more stable ride than the sharpies, passed through. Perhaps the fastest bird of the day was a merlin who seemed supercharged by the wind’s energy. Non-raptor Observations: Pelicans were again noted this morning, making a brief appearance before disappearing behind Celeron Island. An exact count was not possible, but near twenty birds, give or take. We did see a couple of flights of shorebirds today, one was thought to be yellowlegs and the other was not identified. You don’t get ideal views at our site and very little time to decide. Canada geese were up in numbers stretching their wings today. A large number of mallards shared the sky with them. A small flight of scaup was noted too. The wind has really dropped the level of the lake and the connected marsh waters. The great egrets are taking advantage of their food being concentrated into shallower pools. Kingfishers were noted again today, but not at our end of the slip, since their perch tree has been felled. Plenty of mixed swallows and swifts are concentrated on the sky in front of us, performing their usual aerobatics. Blue jays mostly sat this one out with around 1,650 noted. Predictions: The forecast for tomorrow resembles todays but with more cloud cover. Western winds will start to climb at the beginning of the watch from around ten mph to near fifteen toward the end. Temperatures will be perhaps a degree or two lower than today but the wind will also subtract a few degrees. The barometer will continue to fall to 29.6” or so, but will start to rise at the end of the watch. Hopefully, the turkey vultures will continue to enjoy the pleasure of our company and fly by. Sharpies and kestrels should continue to scrap their way into the wind if all goes well. ======================================================================== 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