Date: 10/4/25 3:08 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (04 Oct 2025) 158 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 04, 2025
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Andrew Sturgess, Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Johannes Postma, Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating
raptors.
Weather:
The haze was worse than yesterday and thickened as the day went on. It was
heavy and gray, stretching up from the horizon and blocking nearly a
vertical mile of our view. Canada was nothing more than a faint shadow
across the lake and the antenna were completely obscured. A few scattered
cumulus clouds in the morning vanished by 10 a.m.
Raptor Observations:
Raptors appeared suddenly overhead, hidden by the haze until they broke
above it. Instead of scanning the treetops, we had to search along the haze
line for movement. Sharpies started the day once again, and it took more
than three hours before another species joined the count. Sharp-shinned
Hawks totaled sixty-one but were still outnumbered by Turkey Vultures, who
tallied ninety-two. The vultures arrived in two kettles low over Celeron,
and instead of their usual lazy back-and-forth drifting, they streamed out
quickly and vanished into the haze. The day also brought three harriers,
one peregrine, and one kestrel—marking a notably low species diversity.
Non-raptor Observations:
Even local birds were quiet today. Highlights included an adult Bald Eagle,
a juvenile Osprey, and a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk. An Indigo Bunting made
its presence known from the top of the red maple. Over six thousand Blue
Jays were counted, along with thirty-eight monarchs.
Predictions:
Warm temperatures and southern winds continue tomorrow. We expect another
slow day, especially if the haze lingers.
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Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
