Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 27, 2024
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 1477 58518 59451
Osprey 0 2 18
Bald Eagle 13 101 134
Northern Harrier 5 133 316
Sharp-shinned Hawk 14 1242 3379
Cooper's Hawk 2 36 75
American Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 155 155
Broad-winged Hawk 0 37 6785
Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1
Red-tailed Hawk 29 748 803
Rough-legged Hawk 5 14 14
Golden Eagle 6 39 39
American Kestrel 0 120 399
Merlin 0 9 23
Peregrine Falcon 0 19 27
Unknown Accipiter 0 10 15
Unknown Buteo 1 15 28
Unknown Falcon 0 5 13
Unknown Eagle 0 2 2
Unknown Raptor 0 5 27
Total: 1554 61211 71704
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Michael Patrikeev
Observers: Ben Sehl, Bill Peregord, Mark Hainen, Michelle Peregord,
Rosemary Brady, Shelly Andrews
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site by the boat launch in Lake Erie Metro Park.
We have brochures and educational information we are happy to share. Let us
share our enthusiasm for migration and raptors with you! While we welcome
your questions and company, please know that our professional counter,
apprentices, and volunteers must communicate with each other frequently to
successfully conduct the count, and they also must maintain an unobstructed
view of the horizon.
Weather:
Sun and cloud; up to 80% cloud cover. Light winds from NNW in the morning,
stronger southerly of up to 19 km/hour (12 mi/hr) in the afternoon. Air
temperature did not exceed +13C (55F).
Raptor Observations:
In the morning, nearly 800 Turkey Vultures moved over Celeron and Gibraltar
heading north-west and west, but their migration slowed down as soon when
the wind changed direction around noon. Another peak of vulture activity
occurred after 3 PM, when a thin, but steady stream of birds was seen
crossing over water northwest of the count site. Twenty-nine Red-tailed
Hawks, thirteen Bald Eagles, six Golden Eagles, and five Rough-legged Hawks
were traveling with the vultures.
Non-raptor Observations:
American Crows traveled in flocks of hundreds, totaling 2,070. We also
sighted one Bonaparte's Gull, several White Pelicans and Buffleheads. As
far as we know, this was first sighting of the latter species at the count
site in the fall of 2024.
Predictions:
Warmer temperatures and southerly winds are in the forecast for tomorrow.
Although we expect to see some vultures and other species, we do not
anticipate them in thousands.
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Report submitted by Erika Van Kirk (erika_vank...@fws.gov)
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
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