DRHW- Lake Erie Metropark Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 17, 2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 62 147 147 Osprey 3 34 34 Bald Eagle 11 56 56 Northern Harrier 15 65 65 Sharp-shinned Hawk 126 1489 1489 Cooper's Hawk 9 48 48 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 2 2 Broad-winged Hawk 190121 192696 192696 Swainson's Hawk 4 4 4 Red-tailed Hawk 19 58 58 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 44 304 304 Merlin 0 7 7 Peregrine Falcon 1 2 2 Unknown Accipiter 0 4 4 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 1 Total: 190417 194918 194918 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 9.5 hours Official Counter: Jeff Schultz Observers: Don Sherwood, Jonathan Stein, Rodney Laura Visitors: Hawkfest could not possibly have happened on any better day. At least 250 people stopped by the count site and most were treated to great looks at lots and lots of migrating broad-winged hawks. Weather: Unexpectedly overcast in the morning, the wind eventually blew most of the clouds from view, leaving us with blue skies in the afternoon. The air was again cool and crisp, more suggestive of October than September. Winds were from the northeast at the start and then shifted east and finally southeast as the day wore on. Raptor Observations: A mind-blowing day of migration that featured many swirling swarms and long, streaming lines of broad-winged hawks. Liftoff was at approximately 1030 am when multiple kettles numbering in the tens of thousands were seen circling above Canada. After that, for the rest of the day, there were few moments when there wasn't a broad-winged hawk within view. The largest flight occurred late, around 4 pm, when well over 100,000 hawks in three long, broad lines were sighted high in the blue. In addition to the spectacular broadwing flight, we had an excellent single-day total of four swainson's hawks and spotted our first two red-shouldered hawks of the season. Non-raptor Observations: Nine american golden-plovers flew by early in the morning. A common nighthawk was bouncing around near the stacks a little later in the day. A few more cape may, magnolia and black-throated blue warblers were noticed in the trees near the count site. Also, more and more chimney swifts continue to be seen. Predictions: Partly cloudy with temperatures topping out in the high 60s. Light and variable winds from the east and northeast will become stronger in the afternoon. While we probably won't beat today's totals, it should still be an enjoyably pleasant end to the 22nd Annual Hawkfest. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Greg Norwood ([email protected]) SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark information may be found at: http://www.drhawkwatch.org Site Description: The primary site used by the Detroit River Hawk Watch (a joint venture of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and it's Friends group, the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance) is the Boat Launch at Lake Erie Metropark located approximately 20 miles south of Detroit, Michigan. A secondary site, the Headquarters of Pointe Mouillee State Game Area is used during certain wind conditions. When staffing is available, both sites can be used at the same time. The season begins on the first day of September and concludes on the final day of November. For details and directions, log on to www.drhawkwatch.org Directions to site: Lake Erie Metropark: >From I-75, exit at Huron River Drive (exit 27). Continue east on Huron River Drive. Turn left on West Jefferson and proceed a few hundred yards to the entrance of Lake Erie Metropark. After paying the entrance fee, follow the signs to the Boat Launch. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
