Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 17, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 1930 59446 61527 Osprey 0 0 28 Bald Eagle 0 37 134 Northern Harrier 14 79 442 Sharp-shinned Hawk 14 646 3669 Cooper's Hawk 1 29 56 American Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 70 70 Broad-winged Hawk 0 47 51921 Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1 Red-tailed Hawk 15 397 543 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 1 14 16 American Kestrel 0 40 963 Merlin 1 9 42 Peregrine Falcon 0 10 40 Unknown Accipitrine 0 0 1 Unknown Buteo 0 1 3 Unknown Falcon 0 0 3 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 6 9 Total: 1976 60833 119469 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Jo Patterson Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Mark Hainen 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: The sky stayed partly cloudy throughout the day, but the view was anything but static. Cirrus and stratus clouds shared the stage, swirling and drifting at their own altitudes. From below, we watched them mingle, part, and leave behind wide patches of blue. They might have made perfect reference points for calling out birds—if there had been any to call out. The wind blew steadily from the south, never dropping below 10 mph. With the temperature climbing close to 65°F and the treeline shielding us from the gusts, it almost felt warm. The barometer dipped below 30", beginning its steep fall ahead of the rain expected this weekend. Raptor Observations: Several large groups of Turkey Vultures that had roosted near the Canadian border lifted off together, wasting no time kettling before heading our way. Turkey Vultures are masters of effortless flight—soaring and gliding for hours with barely a wingbeat. Their steeply held wings form a deep dihedral that keeps them stable in turbulent air, giving them their signature teetering motion. Like a sailboat tacking into the wind, that wing posture also helps them maneuver efficiently against a headwind. Today’s strong southern winds carried the vultures northward over the river before they turned sharply over Grosse Ile, circling back low on our west side—so low they nearly skimmed the treetops. A total of one thousand nine hundred and thirty Turkey Vultures were counted. Other species struggled more with the wind. A Northern Harrier was seen lifting off from Gibraltar three separate times, each attempt ending with the bird being buffeted back to the ground. On the fourth try, it finally gathered enough resolve to cross the water. The species fared decently overall, with fourteen counted—tying with Sharp-shinned Hawks, which also kept low in the blustery air. Red-tailed Hawks edged them out with fifteen. Single individuals of Cooper’s Hawk, Merlin, and Golden Eagle rounded out the day’s list. Non-raptor Observations: A northbound Merlin was the first raptor spotted this morning—likely the same one later counted. It had probably spent the night in the park and lingered to hunt before resuming its journey. Along the maples, we continued to see Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Golden-crowned Kinglet. No crows or monarchs were recorded, but thirty migrating Blue Jays passed through. A pair of local Bald Eagles hunted ducks along the river, squabbling over a catch and sending clumps of the waterfowl’s feathers drifting behind them. Predictions: Tomorrow’s forecast calls for temperatures in the 70s, strong southerly winds, a rapidly falling barometer, and evening rain—conditions unlikely to favor migration. ======================================================================== 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