Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 21, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 3 835 90783 Osprey 0 0 29 Bald Eagle 0 31 180 Northern Harrier 1 36 515 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 87 4031 Cooper's Hawk 0 8 73 American Goshawk 0 0 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 88 257 Broad-winged Hawk 0 1 51922 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Red-tailed Hawk 6 741 1783 Rough-legged Hawk 0 3 6 Golden Eagle 2 31 66 American Kestrel 0 0 964 Merlin 0 5 55 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 3 12 Total: 13 1872 150733 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Jo Patterson Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Michelle Peregord 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: Another day in the coal mines, with similar light availability as in an actual mine for most of the watch. A dull day, mostly devoid of raptors, but we received a little prize at the end for our patience. Today’s wind graph looks like a dance guide sheet for doing the Watutsi, all peaks and valleys with changes in direction thrown in for good measure. Alternating between southwest and west, it didn’t have much energy, as evidenced by our local eagles sitting in their preferred trees for most of the day. The temperature was a comfortable fifty-one degrees. That means we are on course to set a record for the least handwarmers used during the month of November. The barometer ended up lower at the end of the day, finishing below thirty inches. The clouds did begin to open up a little at the end of the day, but the views of white cumulus, rather than gray, were relatively brief. That did seem to start a little movement of raptors, as most of our count came in the penultimate hour. Raptor Observations: It took until the third hour to escape the zero zone. but after that we were really busy with either one or two birds for the next three hours. We were overwhelmed with seven birds during the 1400-1500 hour. One bird came in the final hour but it was a good one. Red-tailed hawks managed to take the crown today. Six came by at a measured pace. Turkey vultures are still on the podium with three birds today. Golden eagles, two handsome subadults, were on the lower step and made our otherwise dull day a little brighter. A lone northern harrier and one sharpie rounded out the count. Non-raptor Observations: We saw our first flight of snow geese this morning. Nineteen birds were trying keep a tight Vee formation, but much like getting in the slow line at the bank, some were switching sides at the end of the lines, making them difficult to count. Bonaparte’s are in the house, but not too many, and as far as we can tell, there is no little gull with them. A small flock of all female hooded mergansers landed out where we could see them in open water. They usually seem more reclusive. The local gulls, many in number, were up imitating raptors today, concluding the day with a large gull tornado, rather than a kettle. Our local merlin tried to fool us into counting it once more, but we are not going to fall for that again. We also saw a peregrine that seems to have taken up residence on Celeron Island that was not counted. Predictions: The clouds will break open tonight and allow some of the heat to escape, so it should be close to freezing overnight. It will rebound to forty-five degrees during the day tomorrow. The barometer should be climbing, but not too far over the thirty-inch mark. It is forecast to be mostly sunny, but we will see whether that includes the edge of the lake where we do business. It should be an easy wind from the north during the early hours, backing to a more westerly direction later on. The speed should be around the five-mph range, give or take a little. This would appear to be our best shot at getting some birds, as after tomorrow, the winds will be coming from the south for a few days. Monday and Tuesday may have some rain interference and the barometer will be falling again. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (ajyes72@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