Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 27, 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 1 Turkey Vulture 169 984 984 Osprey 4 70 70 Bald Eagle 2 81 81 Northern Harrier 14 268 268 Sharp-shinned Hawk 135 2667 2667 Cooper's Hawk 1 50 50 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 91 71820 71820 Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 100 100 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 1 1 1 American Kestrel 2 612 612 Merlin 3 25 25 Peregrine Falcon 2 12 12 Unknown Accipiter 0 8 8 Unknown Buteo 0 4 4 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 20 20 Total: 426 76725 76725 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Jonathan Stein Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Jim Lynch, Patrick Mulawa Visitors: 60+ including groups from MSU and UofM Weather: >From gray to blue and everything in between, the sky supplied a swirling cauldron of color today. We started mostly gray but rapid clearing led to monochrome blue. Soon enough, gray clouds rolled in once more, only to quickly disappear, leaving us to finish out the day with yet more blue. Temperatures hovered around the mid 70s from the late morning on. The wind was light and variable early, steadying and shifting to the southeast in the afternoon. Raptor Observations: Aloft once the skies began to clear, raptors pushed through in waves midday, slowing by late afternoon. Among the waves, a delightful surprise rose above the distant trees. Rising higher, the season's first Golden Eagle decided to gently circle above the stacks for several minutes, calm as could be. Expected to arrive by mid-October at the earliest, it was our first September golden since 2007. The eagle might have eclipsed all else, but not to be overlooked, the day also featured great looks at speedy Merlins and vigorous peregrines as well as a captivating kettle of harriers floating above Three Trees around noon. Non-raptor Observations: Blue Jay (8000+), Tree Swallow (500+), Chimney Swift (5), Forster's Tern (5), Common Loon (1), Wood Duck (1), Common Green Darner (2), Monarch (62) Predictions: Partly cloudy with highs in the upper 70s, light south wind and a slight chance of rain. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Jonathan Stein (steinj...@gmail.com) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.drhawkwatch.org Site Description: The Detroit River Hawk Watch (a joint venture of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and its Friends group, the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance) is the Boat Launch at Lake Erie Metropark located approximately 20 miles south of Detroit, Michigan. The location is at the mouth of the Detroit River as it enters Lake Erie. Directions to site: Lake Erie Metropark: >From I-75, exit at Huron River Drive (exit 27). Continue east on Huron River Drive. Turn left on West Jefferson and proceed a few hundred yards to the entrance of Lake Erie Metropark. After paying the entrance fee, follow the signs to the Boat Launch. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
