Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 21, 2023
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 22 692 692
Osprey 8 47 47
Bald Eagle 5 60 60
Northern Harrier 48 303 303
Sharp-shinned Hawk 278 3386 3386
Cooper's Hawk 0 8 8
American Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 10 106660 106660
Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 1 55 55
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 21 830 830
Merlin 0 27 27
Peregrine Falcon 0 14 14
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 1 1
Unknown Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 393 112084 112084
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Andrew Sturgess, Kevin Georg
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Jackie Quinones, Mark Hainen,
Rosemary Brady, Sabrina Salome
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:
The clickers are starting to rust as we had another day without those pesky
broadwings confounding us with their hide and seek antics. Southern winds
seemed to indicate another very hot summertime day when the counting is
easy. Temperatures were as high as the cotton, reaching seventy-eight
degrees, but fortunately the wind was off the lake, where the fish were
jumping, providing some relief. The gossamer thin cirrus clouds, while
visually interesting in their windswept feathery forms, did little to
impede the sunâs rays. The winds were only five mph at their peak at the
weather station on Grosse Ile, but with the fetch all the way from Ohio
over Lake Erie, they were stronger in our corner of the world. The
barometer climbed to its highest in recent days, reaching 30.28 inches of
mercury before receding in the afternoon. What seemed to have potential
discomfit written into the forecast turned into a comfortable, sunny fall
day.
Raptor Observations:
It seemed a little odd at first that most of our early traffic was cutting
the corner out over the lake since the wind would seem to indicate that
they should be in the north. Nevertheless, that was the case. Sharp-shins
were busy today, with a late surge aiding their numbers. We counted 278, as
they rebounded from their recent lull. We continue to see a surprising
number of harriers with forty-eight flying by with their deliberate wing
strokes, usually in pairs, sometimes more. Turkey vultures were perhaps off
to the north with the broadwings as we notched only twenty-two. Kestrels
were off the pace today compared to the sharpies, only twenty-one made the
tabulator. We did manage to count ten of those aforementioned broad-wings
in two small groups. We are having our best year since 2015 in ospreys with
forty-six in the bag already in September, seven of that number coming
today. Six bald eagles rushed through and a single red-tailed hawk was
counted.
Non-raptor Observations:
We saw a few blue jays in the morning hour but a larger movement failed to
materialize. Ducks are persons of interest as we had a pair of blue-winged
teal race by, later, a trio of shovelers followed their beaks in close
formation. Mallards seem to be doing well this year with frequent flights
taking place nearby. The kingfisher made a late appearance today. There
didnât seem to be as many warblers passing through today. Most are dark
silhouettes when they fly by so IDs are not possible. Caspian terns are
active, but the Forsterâs terns have possibly changed their normal
roosting spot since they were present early, but nowhere to be found later.
Predictions:
Tomorrow will be similar to today in some respects. Temperature will be a
little lower, cloud cover is predicted but its hard to tell whether cirrus,
or something of more substance is on the way. The main difference is that
the winds will have an eastern flavor for the next eight days and five mph
will be the lowest speed instead of the highest. Some of those winds will
be from the favored NE direction but the strength may be blowing a little
too hard, outside of the sweet-spot. We will have to see how this all plays
out since a lot can change in a few days. In broad strokes; the trend will
be for lower temperatures due to winds with a northern element to them.
Barometric pressures will drop over the next two days but still remain
above thirty inches. ESE winds will rule tomorrow, climbing up to nine mph
by days end. This may potentially have the same effect as todayâs winds,
sharpies, kestrels and harriers will try to cross but the buteos may be off
to the north.
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Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess ([email protected])
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
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