DRHW- Lake Erie Metropark Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 14, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 1 2 2 Turkey Vulture 2122 20761 22144 Osprey 3 18 129 Bald Eagle 1 22 86 Northern Harrier 0 32 119 Sharp-shinned Hawk 87 832 3124 Cooper's Hawk 10 83 203 Northern Goshawk 0 2 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 21 56 59 Broad-winged Hawk 1 16 36215 Red-tailed Hawk 105 478 601 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 1 2 2 American Kestrel 0 80 389 Merlin 0 3 14 Peregrine Falcon 2 5 16 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 2354 22393 63106 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: Calvin Brennan Observers: Charlene Brennan, Lathe Claflin, Rodney Laura Visitors: Paul Cypher Jim Lynch Jim Maki Weather: Today saw one of those uncommon events as a dry frontal system came through during the morning hours bringing with it cloud cover but only a few sprinkles of precipitation. Cloudy conditions throughout much of the morning gave way to mostly sunny conditions in the afternoon. Winds were light west-southwest early becoming quite strong and gusty from the west as the front passed then settled into a moderate west-northwest breeze for the remainder of the day. Raptor Observations: After the passage of the front today, conditions were ideal for both migration and for hawk watching. There was a very active migration of vultures seen over the Canadian shoreline even before the clouds cleared away and this movement would increase along with the variety of species as the conditions improved. There was a steady movement of birds throughout the afternoon and even into early evening with many of the birds passing right over the count area. Highlighting the day was the seasons second Golden Eagle, an adult rufous morph Red-tail and perhaps most surprising, yet another Black Vulture! The vulture today unlike last weeks birds was not in association with any of the TV groups but all by itself on a high line right over the watch. Non-raptor Observations: Droves of Tree Swallows were migrating today with perhaps several thousand in all involved along with lesser numbers of Northern Rough-wings. A few fair-sized groups of Bonapartes Gulls were also noted. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Calvin Brennan ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark information may be found at: http://www.smrr.net/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
