Date: 11/1/25 2:46 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (01 Nov 2025) 181 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 01, 2025
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Johannes Postma, Michelle Peregord
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:
A curious day today, winds did their normal elevations and falls, from
directions that varied from south-southwest to eventually west, then
finally turning to northwest. We were confused, and so were the birds
apparently. The skies varied, but for a good deal of afternoon we had a”
View of Toledo” sky off to our left. Dark and ominous, we had a lot of
time to admire its mix of black and blue clouds, often pondering how such
artistic formations that defy description come to be created. There was a
brief period where one cloud had a black-rain tail, but most of the
perceived threat dissipated later in the afternoon. The barometer was
rising, yet we still seem to be in the influence zone of the low that just
passed. The temperatures reached fifty-two, but being sheltered, for the
most part, by the windbreak behind us, it felt curiously warm. We have been
leading with our chin into the wind lately, so it was a nice break. We
didn’t have a lot of birds to count, but it was a comfortable day spent
with good friends.
Raptor Observations:
Turkey vultures seem to be winding down, but I’m not sure this was a good
day to judge them, by since nothing else was really moving. We did manage
to count one hundred and thirty-five birds, most in a couple of kettles,
the rest in very small streams. Red-tailed hawks were kinda moving, this is
their season, but we need a good wind for them to really show up. We did
see thirty of them today. Many of them up in the stratosphere, late in the
day. Good ole sharpies are still fluttering by, only seven of them made the
clicker though. Five red-shouldered hawks flew by, three of them seemingly
on a tour together. Two bald eagles, moving with the turkey vultures,
received their participation awards today. One northern harrier showed up.
Non-raptor Observations:
The marshes are fairly low on water lately, so we are seeing more great
egrets in the slip where the watch is located. Great blue herons were up
this morning, with six of them being noted at the same time flying over
Celeron Island. Pelicans were nowhere to be seen today. What was to be seen
was the buildup of ducks out on Lake Erie. It is one of the largest
gathering places for scaup in the country, and we could see a lot of ducks
flying back and forth, albeit at a good distance from us. Our local pairs
of bald eagles earned their frequent flyer miles today as they enjoyed the
winds aloft. Forster’s terns were noted in the morning hours.
Predictions:
A wind that is predicted to grow from a southwest direction from three mph
to eleven, does not get the pulse racing. The barometer should continue to
rise. The level of cloud cover should diminish. The temperature should
reflect the wind coming from the south and rise by about three degrees
tomorrow. The big fly in our soup is the direction and strength of the
wind, southwest winds are usually a killer wind for us. Of course, I hope
for the best, but have to plan for the worst.
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Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
