Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 03, 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 941 1753 2686 Osprey 1 1 17 Bald Eagle 0 11 44 Northern Harrier 21 42 225 Sharp-shinned Hawk 134 289 2426 Cooper's Hawk 2 4 43 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 2 22 6770 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 4 39 94 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 28 48 327 Merlin 3 5 19 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 10 Unknown Accipiter 0 1 6 Unknown Buteo 0 2 15 Unknown Falcon 0 1 9 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 3 25 Total: 1136 2223 12716 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Andrew Sturgess Observers: Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Erika Van Kirk, Frank Kitakis, Jo Patterson, Mark Hainen Visitors: We welcome visitors to our site by the boat launch in Lake Erie MetroPark. We are willing to spread the gospel with pamphlets and information cards, along with tips on IDing the raptors, and photography tips for those behind the cameras. Let us share our enthusiasm for this miracle of nature with you. Weather: I have an app on my phone called Flight Aware. I use it to try and ID planes that fly overhead at the watch. It always amazes me, as well as befuddles me, when I see how many planes are in the air around me that I am unaware of. Today we had a virtual live version of the app above us as the cold air aloft preserved the tracks of the planes that crisscross our area. The contrails were gradually shaped by the winds into artistic variations of their former selves. Think Jackson Pollack on Xanax, wild yet restrained. The accumulation of moisture resembled cirrus clouds at times with mare’s tails, mackerel bones and smoke signals but it was all generated by combustion engines. Below, we were perhaps a little more comfortable as the sun was tamed by the delicate veil above us. Temperatures reached the seventy-three degree mark, but that also was tempered by a wind that started southwest, but shifted to southeast, gaining in strength while blowing in off the lake. Winds were lighter in the morning but stayed within the three to nine mph range. The barometer was lethargic as befits a late summerlike day, changing only in hundredths column, and staying above the thirty-inch mark. Raptor Observations: We had another four-digit day today, compliments of the turkey vultures that were moving in the midday hours. The haze off the lake was not helping to locate them, but we managed to find nine hundred and forty-one as they took the great circle route around us. Sharp-shins kept us busy today coming from all angles as the light winds let them choose their own flight lines. One hundred and thirty-four made the clicker. Kestrels won the bronze over the harriers with a twenty-eight count to twenty-one, respectively. Three gray ghosts were seen in the harrier division. Four red-tailed hawks were counted. Three merlins raced by in their resolute manner. Two Cooper’s hawks were noted, as well as two broad-winged hawks. We had a number of osprey sightings today but counted only one as migratory. We may have a bird or two that are taking some time to replenish their strength before departing. Non-raptor Observations: Our terns are still present, both Caspian and Forster’s. A large collection of great egrets was attracting attention today, including someone that stopped in the road on a blind corner to observe them. (I have first hand knowledge of that.) A pair of kingfishers made a brief appearance. Killdeer were spotted a couple of times today. These birds live along the road into the park and can stay very late in the season. Flickers were noted in flight and on the ground near us. A pair of brown creepers were seen in the woods nearby. Canada geese are practicing formation flying. A large group of chimney swifts were observed this morning. Usually, they are in the minority so perhaps they were moving through. Tree swallows and gulls were up obstructing our sightlines. Blue jays were on the move in the morning hours, with over twelve thousand counted. There were probably more, but the haze hides these smaller birds effectively as they tend to pass to the north of us. Predictions: Tomorrow promises a northerly wind of modest strength. That may be a good thing. The barometer will be climbing a little, and the temperature should be a few degrees cooler. A relatively short-lived spike in cloud cover is predicted in the early afternoon hours. Our results will depend on how the birds tack on the light north winds. At least that wind should clear some of the haze from the sky and push it out onto the lake ======================================================================== 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