Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 23, 2024
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 6 2970 65207
Osprey 0 0 18
Bald Eagle 2 70 208
Northern Harrier 0 22 342
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 91 3487
Cooper's Hawk 0 41 116
American Goshawk 0 2 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 153 326
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 6785
Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1
Red-tailed Hawk 26 1064 1995
Rough-legged Hawk 0 4 18
Golden Eagle 0 75 119
American Kestrel 0 1 410
Merlin 0 2 25
Peregrine Falcon 0 4 32
Unknown Accipiter 0 3 18
Unknown Buteo 2 18 49
Unknown Falcon 1 1 14
Unknown Eagle 1 4 7
Unknown Raptor 0 2 30
Total: 42 4527 79209
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Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Michael Patrikeev
Observers: Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Jo Patterson,
Michelle Peregord
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site by the boat launch in Lake Erie Metropark.
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:
Overcast; occasional breaks in the clouds reminded us of blue skies,
somewhere high above. Westerly winds (from WNW and NW) of up to 23 km/hour
(15 mi/hr). Temperature varied between +6 and +8C (43-46F).
Raptor Observations:
We ended up with 42 raptors, three times the number seen yesterday, but
then, today, we had twice as many observes (2.5 times, to be exact).
The day began with a couple of Sharp-shins, hurried across the river by the
winds. The third hunted around the parking lot in late afternoon, chasing
Mourning Doves and smaller birds, but, as far as we could tell, it did not
succeed.
Red-tailed Hawks accounted for 60% of the sightings (26 of them). Two,
fighting headwinds and holding wings in "V" shape, were mistaken for
harriers; only when they got closer, we were able to correct the mistake.
Six Turkey Vultures streamed far behind the sycamore. Perhaps those were
six of the nine seen by our colleagues at the Holiday Beach yesterday.
Four adult Bald Eagles put a nice aerial performance over the water, after
all but one observers left the scene. One caught a large catfish (eagle,
and not the observer), but was chased by others and probably dropped it.
Non-raptor Observations:
Tundra Swans made their first appearance at the count site today; we
observed at least seven flocks, totaling 150-160. White Pelicans were
sighted after a two week absence; five circled between Celeron and
Gibraltar in the afternoon, getting relatively close. On the top of that,
we saw a pair of Belted Kingfishers, a flock of 30 Dunlins, many American
Robins and Mourning Doves.
Predictions:
Weather forecasters are calling for a mix of sun and cloud, and southerly
winds. Temperature will remain below +8C (45F). We expect to see at least
some raptors, though perhaps fewer than today.
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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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