Date: 10/25/24 4:12 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (25 Oct 2024) 1162 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 25, 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Michael Patrikeev
Observers: Jo Patterson
Visitors: We welcome visitors to our site by the boat launch in Lake Erie Metro Park. We have brochures and educational information we are happy to share. Let us share our enthusiasm for migration and raptors with you! While we welcome your questions and company, please know that our professional counter, apprentices, and volunteers must communicate with each other frequently to successfully conduct the count, and they also must maintain an unobstructed view of the horizon.
Weather: Overcast and light drizzle in the morning, but skies cleared by 3 PM EDT. Southerly wind changed to westerly in the afternoon, diminishing to 10 km/hour. Temperature reached +16C (60F).
Raptor Observations: It did not look very promising at the beginning (southerly winds and drizzle). Few Sharp-shins and six Northern Harriers made their way across the river, and a kettle of ca. 70 vultures was sighted over Canada. A two hour lull followed, until the wind turned to WSW around 1 PM. Almost immediately, birds took to the air. At first crows filled the sky (see below), and then Turkey Vultures streamed over Gibraltar in hundreds, bringing guests in their midst. We counted nearly 30 Red-tailed Hawks, two Golden Eagles, two Rough-legged Hawks, and others. A Peregrine Falcon took an instant dislike of one of the Red-tails, stooping at it and chasing it away. We counted 1,162 raptors overall. Frankly, many more than we hoped for on a day like today.
Non-raptor Observations: Large flocks of American Crow streamed across the river after 1 PM. Some flocks were sizable (200-300 birds). Overall, we counted 933 crows. Blue Jays also made a brief appearance (25 in total).
Predictions: Northwestern winds will bring cooler temperatures to the area tomorrow. Although winds from the north-east would have created more favorable conditions for migrating, we, nonetheless, expect to see thousands of vultures with a retinue of other raptors. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Erika Van Kirk (<erika_vankirk...>) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
