DRHW- Lake Erie Metropark Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 03, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 2 13 13 Osprey 6 11 11 Bald Eagle 2 7 7 Northern Harrier 3 8 8 Sharp-shinned Hawk 42 51 51 Cooper's Hawk 2 5 5 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 28 65 65 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 2 10 10 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 9 24 24 Merlin 0 2 2 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 2 2 2 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 1 2 2 Total: 99 200 200 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Jonathan Stein Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Patrick Mulawa Visitors: Rodney Laura, Bruce Watson, Stevie Kuroda, Paul Chadwick and Frances DeLucia. Weather: Today was hot with mostly blue skies and temperatures reaching into the mid 80s. It wasn't until around noon that a handful of cumulus clouds began to materialize and add some contrast to the sky. The wind was out of the northeast at first and then shifted to the southeast to close out the watch. Raptor Observations: Broad-winged Hawks continued to wander through in small roving groups for a third consecutive day, taking advantage of the moderate northeast winds. They were joined by our first solid movement of Sharp-shinned Hawks, which could be seen shooting by in twos and threes during the midday hours. The warming sun and mostly cloudless sky made for ideal thermal generation and many birds were sighted high in the blue today. Non-raptor Observations: Canada Goose 6, Mallard 22, Wood Duck 1, Double-crested Cormorant 77, Ring-billed Gull 110, Caspian Tern 3, Great Blue Heron 5, Great Egret 2, Belted Kingfisher 1, Tree Swallow 35, Barn Swallow 6, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5, Cedar Waxwing 64, Northern Flicker 2, Red-bellied Woodpecker 1, Downy Woodpecker 1, Black-capped Chickadee 4, Mourning Dove 9, Blue Jay 2, Warbling Vireo 3, Nashville Warbler 1, Cape May Warbler 2, Red-winged Blackbird 74, Common Grackle 1, European Starling 45, American Goldfinch 2 Monarch 11 Predictions: It's forecast to be cloudy with a 50 percent chance of precipitation for the better part of the day. The wind will be light and likely out of the north. Hopefully, the rain stays away and we'll be able to get some counting in. ======================================================================== 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/
