Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 17, 2026 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 8783 35270 36991 Osprey 0 4 11 Bald Eagle 5 16 83 Northern Harrier 12 151 322 Sharp-shinned Hawk 58 1043 2997 Cooper's Hawk 5 17 24 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 12 23 25 Broad-winged Hawk 2 31 75179 Swainson's Hawk 0 1 2 Red-tailed Hawk 52 201 319 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 1 1 American Kestrel 1 179 707 Merlin 1 16 37 Peregrine Falcon 3 21 33 Unknown Accipitrine 0 1 6 Unknown Buteo 0 3 21 Unknown Falcon 0 1 3 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 4 19 Total: 8934 36983 116780 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 7.75 hours Official Counter: Gracie Sangmeister Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bella Maiwurm, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Michelle Peregord, Rosemary Brady Visitors: We welcome visitors to our site at the Lake Erie Metropark Boat Launch. We are always willing to discuss the events of the day. Let us share our enthusiasm with you. There will be busy days, that may require our full attention, but those are not that frequent, and they provide great thrills for all. We can predict good days to some degree, but the exact hour is up to the birds, so be prepared to put in some time for the best results. Pack a lunch 🍁 Weather: Blue skies spanned above the line of picnic tables for the entirety of the day, providing landmark-less backdrop for the incoming array of raptors (and corvids). The day started at 40 degrees, peaking at 54, and provided an official cold welcome to fall. Sunny skies tried to keep counters warm. Winds were shifting throughout the day, spanning from the northeast to the west southwest and staying between 5 and 10 mph. Barometer measurements were high today, reaching 30.50 by noon. Raptor Observations: �Let us praise the noble turkey vulture�he contemplates our little world from a most serene and noble height�. In agreement with Edward Abbey, our counters were happy to see streams of turkey vultures continuously throughout the day. The birds took a low route around noon, providing fantastic views for visitors to the site. By late afternoon they were back to their serene and noble height, high above the picnic tables, almost a speck in the sky. 8,783 made their way south. Though red-tails picked up speed with 52 individuals, sharp-shins still took second with 58. Red-shoulders tied with harriers as 12 of each were counted. Two late broad-wings were seen. Bald eagles, Cooper�s hawks, and the trifecta of falcons rounded out the crew. Non-raptor Observations: Our first crows of the season have arrived! 23 of them intermingled with turkey vultures to cross overhead. Hopefully we will get many, many more. Migration is in full swing for waterfowl as well, with over one thousand cormorants and 800 Canada geese passing in long lines. The pelicans were back in decent numbers today, 107 cruising back and forth. The sky was filled with tree swallows and ring-billed gulls, seeming to fill the areas of clear blue sky where the raptors did not (and sometimes also covering the raptors. Oh how I love to pick out wobbly turkey vultures from behind flittering swallows). Golden-crowned kinglets, a brown creeper, and yellow-rumped warblers hopped around on the nearby maples. 2 monarchs and 1,135 blue jays made their way south as well. Predictions: Sunday will continue with sunny skies and will bring a rise in temperature (a whole 8 degrees!), and 62 will feel positively balmy after today. Winds will be coming between 10 and 15 mph from the southwest, the opposite of what we�d like in a perfect world, but hopefully the raptors will make do. The barometer will stay high, creating that favorable lift. Between the sunny skies and high barometer, the turkey vultures and other assorted raptors may power through the opposing winds. Likely in fewer numbers than today, but we will appreciate whatever comes. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Erika Van Kirk (erika_vankirk@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