Date: 10/26/24 6:58 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (26 Oct 2024) 3226 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 26, 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Michael Patrikeev
Observers: Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Jerry Jourdan, Mark Hainen, Michelle Peregord, Rosemary Brady
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: Cool winds from NW and NNW, reaching 23 km/hour (or 14 mi/hr) in the afternoon. Clear skies until noon, but up to 40% cloud cover later in the day. Temperature never rose above +14C (57F).
Raptor Observations: We counted 3,226 birds, and quite predictably, 95% of those were Turkey Vultures. More than one half of 3,049 vultures moved over the area after 3 PM EDT. Red-tailed Hawks came up second (89), outracing the Sharp-shins (40). Thanks to the hard work by Don and Jerry, we logged five Golden Eagles! Bald Eagles and Red-shouldered Hawks were clearly on the move. Also, it seems, a Peregrine Falcon took temporary residence at the southern end of Celeron Island. It was seen flying up and down the river, chasing something well out of our sight ( but clearly not migrating).
Non-raptor Observations: Good numbers of American Crows (1,469) were counted over the area (complements to Mark and Bill). Twenty-five Blue Jays were also sighted. Also, the habitual White Pelicans. And, yes, we did see a Monarch!
Predictions: If the current weather forecast holds, we should expect another sunny day with cool temperatures (and possible frost in the morning), but, surprisingly, southerly winds! That will likely slow raptor migration down, and we may not see as many vultures as we did in late afternoon today. In fact, it is possible that the large numbers of Turkey Vultures which flew over the area in late afternoon today, were trying to avoid the approaching southerly headwinds. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Erika Van Kirk (<erika_vankirk...>) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
