DRHW- Lake Erie Metropark Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 07, 2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 224 12959 13476 Osprey 0 6 75 Bald Eagle 4 49 146 Northern Harrier 7 67 169 Sharp-shinned Hawk 81 1320 3731 Cooper's Hawk 32 255 354 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 3 15 17 Broad-winged Hawk 6 637 195853 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 5 Red-tailed Hawk 5 204 282 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 1 2 2 American Kestrel 1 187 591 Merlin 0 0 11 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 14 Unknown Accipiter 3 12 26 Unknown Buteo 0 9 9 Unknown Falcon 0 0 2 Unknown Eagle 1 1 1 Unknown Raptor 2 4 8 Total: 370 15729 214773 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Jonathan Stein Observers: Andrew Sturgess, John Elliott, Rodney Laura Visitors: A few but not very many. Weather: It was clear and hazy today. Not a cloud in the sky. A heavy dose of lake fog never burned off and kept Canada completely from view. The fog and the haze made for exceedingly difficult sighting conditions. The wind was out of the southeast, which didn't help our flight much, either. Raptor Observations: There was very little movement until the early part of the afternoon. And even then, the floodgates never really opened. It was more a trickle of birds, mostly accipiters, shooting through every now and again. We did get a couple more nice looks at red-shouldered hawks and added another golden eagle to the season total, though. Non-raptor Observations: Lots of blue jays and blackbirds to be seen in the morning. A couple American crows flew over in the early afternoon, the first of many that will be passing overhead soon enough. Predictions: It's going to be clear blue skies all day again. Temperatures should increase, hitting at least the high 70s and possibly touching the low 80s in the afternoon. There won't be any easterly component to the wind, which will hopefully be helpful. Winds are going to be light and out of the south and southwest. It could be a very good day but finding birds will again be challenging. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Jonathan Stein ([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/
