Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 16, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 905 27026 30774 Osprey 0 14 66 Bald Eagle 1 54 175 Northern Harrier 8 46 178 Sharp-shinned Hawk 98 1110 2740 Cooper's Hawk 18 79 216 Northern Goshawk 0 0 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 28 61 79 Broad-winged Hawk 0 4 40923 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 3 Red-tailed Hawk 89 289 475 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 0 1 1 American Kestrel 10 115 487 Merlin 0 6 27 Peregrine Falcon 0 9 25 Unknown Accipiter 2 14 34 Unknown Buteo 2 6 20 Unknown Falcon 0 0 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 2 24 60 Total: 1163 28859 76286 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Visitors: Jim Lynch, Rodney Laura, Pat Mulawa, Paul Cypher and Mark Wloch Weather: Greeted with overcast skies once again, we were pleased when significant clearing occurred quickly, leaving us with a nice mix of white and blue. The sun was out for the first time in a while, adding a touch of warmth to the chill air. Calm early, the wind began to pick up as the day wore on, first blustering out of the west and then shifting more toward the east and southeast. Raptor Observations: For the first two hours, nothing was moving, but once the wind picked up, a steady stream of raptors kept us busy for the rest of the day. Red-shouldered and Red-tailed hawks took advantage of the clear skies and were up and about from the late morning on. Cooper's Hawks were moving around midday and Sharp-shinned Hawks really got going after noon. Seven of the eight Northern Harriers were spotted in a 15-minute stretch during the 1 o'clock hour. Non-raptor Observations: A meadowlark flew overhead early. A Brown Creeper was foraging in the trees near the count site in the late morning. A Lesser Yellowlegs flew by in the late afternoon. Cedar Waxwings were heard for the first time in a while. American Crows (4000+), Blue Jays (2500+) and Red-winged Blackbirds (2000+) continued to move through, as did House Finch and American Goldfinch in smaller numbers. Hermit Thrush, White-crowned Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Blackpoll Warbler, Rusty Blackbird and lots of Ruby-crowned Kinglets were seen along the trails. Predictions: Mostly sunny with highs in the low 70s and strong wind out of the south. ======================================================================== 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/
