Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 15, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 707 90655 Osprey 0 0 29 Bald Eagle 0 17 166 Northern Harrier 0 21 500 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 61 4005 Cooper's Hawk 0 1 66 American Goshawk 0 0 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 45 214 Broad-winged Hawk 0 1 51922 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Red-tailed Hawk 0 283 1325 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 4 Golden Eagle 0 15 50 American Kestrel 0 0 964 Merlin 0 4 54 Peregrine Falcon 0 3 48 Unknown Accipitrine 0 0 1 Unknown Buteo 0 0 3 Unknown Falcon 0 0 3 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 10 Total: 1 1160 150021 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 5 hours Official Counter: Jo Patterson Observers: Don Sherwood Visitors: We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors. Weather: Mist settled over the site this morning, muting the horizon and obscuring our more distant landmarks. The grass and tables glistened with the remnants of last night’s rain, and a heavy stratus deck loomed overhead, threatening to open again at any moment. A southwest wind began to surge within the first hour and only grew in strength, holding steady around twenty miles per hour with gusts pushing past thirty. Under those conditions, hope for meaningful migration was slim. As if to underline the point, the barometer—already low—continued its downward slide. Raptor Observations: Only one Sharp-shinned Hawk made it onto the tally today, slipping through low and fast to avoid the worst of the wind. Non-raptor Observations: The soundtrack of the morning came from Rusty Blackbirds calling from the snags, and Great Blue Herons were conspicuous throughout the day. A Peregrine Falcon, perched on Celeron, took exception to one of the herons and launched a chase that sent the rest scattering. A Merlin cut across the seawall early, then returned about an hour later sporting a very full crop. The heavily marked juvenile Red-tailed Hawk—often seen in the company of a notably pale adult—made two brief showings as well. Predictions: Tomorrow promises modest improvement. The barometer is expected to rise, and temperatures will dip slightly. Winds will swing to the northwest, a more favorable direction for movement, though their strength—sustained at fifteen to twenty miles per hour with gusts over thirty—may still be too forceful to allow for a strong flight. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Jo Patterson (jopatterson06@gmail.com) 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