Date: 10/7/25 4:10 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (07 Oct 2025) 569 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 07, 2025
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Jerry Jourdan
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:
Today, we found ourselves in a familiar predicament—caught between two
bands of rain and getting showers from both as they moved east. From 11
a.m. onward, the rain was steady; it eased to a drizzle at times, but full
showers were never far behind. Winds shifted to the north as the cold front
pushed through, growing stronger as the day went on. Both temperature and
barometric pressure held steady at 68°F and 30 inches.
Raptor Observations:
The day was mostly a washout, except for one thrilling 30-minute burst of
activity. Celeron kicked things off with an initial fleet of 100 Turkey
Vultures that kettled along the horizon before turning south. Somewhere
along the way, they picked up a few hundred friends, and soon all five
hundred and sixty-five crossed the seawall in a matter of minutes. Stowed
within their ranks were two sharp-shins. The two falcons seen today,
usually known for their hasty departures, meandered through the clouds. A
lone kestrel hawked insects within a dense swarm of swallows before finally
heading out, while the peregrine made lazy circles over the river before
drifting south.
Non-raptor Observations:
Two local Bald Eagles and a Cooper’s Hawk made brief appearances. A
single vulture lingered for a while before returning to the antennas, where
our six resident birds typically roost. Blue Jays gave a decent showing
with six hundred and twenty counted. Only one monarch butterfly was
spotted, likely one of the last that we will see this season. We may get
another week of Blue Jays before their numbers taper off too. A
Red-breasted Nuthatch joined two Yellow-rumped Warblers in the maple.
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks promising. With the rain behind us, northern winds at 6–11
mph, and a rising barometer, Turkey Vultures should be moving. Hopefully,
the lingering high-pressure system has created a backlog of migrants eager
to fly tomorrow.
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Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
