Date: 11/23/24 5:38 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (23 Nov 2024) 42 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 23, 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Michael Patrikeev
Observers: Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Jo Patterson, Michelle Peregord
Visitors: We welcome visitors to our site by the boat launch in Lake Erie Metropark. 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; occasional breaks in the clouds reminded us of blue skies, somewhere high above. Westerly winds (from WNW and NW) of up to 23 km/hour (15 mi/hr). Temperature varied between +6 and +8C (43-46F).
Raptor Observations: We ended up with 42 raptors, three times the number seen yesterday, but then, today, we had twice as many observes (2.5 times, to be exact). The day began with a couple of Sharp-shins, hurried across the river by the winds. The third hunted around the parking lot in late afternoon, chasing Mourning Doves and smaller birds, but, as far as we could tell, it did not succeed. Red-tailed Hawks accounted for 60% of the sightings (26 of them). Two, fighting headwinds and holding wings in "V" shape, were mistaken for harriers; only when they got closer, we were able to correct the mistake. Six Turkey Vultures streamed far behind the sycamore. Perhaps those were six of the nine seen by our colleagues at the Holiday Beach yesterday. Four adult Bald Eagles put a nice aerial performance over the water, after all but one observers left the scene. One caught a large catfish (eagle, and not the observer), but was chased by others and probably dropped it.
Non-raptor Observations: Tundra Swans made their first appearance at the count site today; we observed at least seven flocks, totaling 150-160. White Pelicans were sighted after a two week absence; five circled between Celeron and Gibraltar in the afternoon, getting relatively close. On the top of that, we saw a pair of Belted Kingfishers, a flock of 30 Dunlins, many American Robins and Mourning Doves.
Predictions: Weather forecasters are calling for a mix of sun and cloud, and southerly winds. Temperature will remain below +8C (45F). We expect to see at least some raptors, though perhaps fewer than today. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Erika Van Kirk (<erika_vankirk...>) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
