Date: 11/19/25 3:09 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (19 Nov 2025) 445 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 19, 2025
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Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Erika Van Kirk, Jerry Jourdan, 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:
Well, it finally worked. We had adopted the Rope-a-Dope strategy from The
Rumble in the Jungle that Ali used against George Foreman, a bigger and
stronger opponent. Foreman tried to deliver too many knockout blows to Ali
before tiring and succumbing to a wilier opponent. Such was our November so
far, but we were slipping the punches and waiting until the tempest passed.
After yesterday, a day of utter futility with zero birds, we rose from the
ashes to reclaim our pride and actually count some meaningful redtail
numbers. The sky was like the residue from a feather-pillow fight; at
first, icy cirrus clouds provided decorative value while hardly shielding
us from the sun’s warmth. As the day progressed, the feathers coalesced
into diaphanous status layers as we went deeper into the rounds. It was
still a varied assortment of high lightly-pigmented cloud variations at the
end of the day, but they were much more effective at blocking the sun. The
temperature reached forty-six degrees. The very mild winds, for once,
favored us. It blew from a northeast direction for most of the day. Towards
the end of the watch, the traditional flip to southeast winds changed the
flight line, also bringing a chill to the air as the wind came off the
lake. The barometer was rising after yesterday’s one-day dip, although it
did decline a little at the end of the watch as heftier clouds are moving
in tomorrow.
Raptor Observations:
Today was moving day for buteos and others. At least today, we were on the
edge of the party, instead of outside, just listening through the door to
the festivities. Red-tails were the stars today, starting early, with a
midday lull, but regaining the momentum near the end of the day, we counted
two hundred and ninety-six. At the end of the day, they were flying bumper
to bumper, almost like broadwings shooting by. Turkey vultures are getting
scarce, but still had a relatively good day with eighty dihedrals counted.
Red-shouldered hawks took the bronze with twenty-six showing up. Bald
eagles and sharpies shared the number eleven, it’s not often that those
two species match counts at our site. The other species of eagle, the
golden variety, shared the number seven with northern harriers. Five
Cooper’s hawks were noted. We had a variety of rough-legged hawks with
one of each morph, one light and one dark.
Non-raptor Observations:
The tundra swans were out in force this morning. Looking like the pelican
flocks we saw in October, hundreds took to the air this morning, possibly
heading up the river, since they were headed north. We did see some loon
activity with one in the water in front of Celeron Island, and a couple
more in flight.
A flight of hooded mergansers raced by in the afternoon, small and fast!
Bonaparte’s came to visit us in the afternoon. A local bald eagle
continued to show off his swimming skills with a fifteen-minute swim
holding on to a large goldfish that he had snagged. He swam a couple of
football fields length with his prize, but our view was obscured and we did
not see the final landing place. He did sit up in a tree to dry off. Fish
fry tonight. We saw some American tree sparrows today for the first time.
The Great blue herons were up in significant numbers taking the airs today.
It’s unusual to see thirty or more flying for long periods of time and
seemingly kettling. The crows were plentiful today with two thousand, and
seventy-one counted.
Predictions:
Feeble winds are forecast for tomorrow. Mostly easterly, but with a touch
of south thrown in for good measure. Any prediction of around three mph,
usually means variable directions and occasional drops to no wind at all.
The barometer will be easing off the throttle and starting a decline
lasting for a few days. Clouds are going to dominate the sky. The
temperature will reach forty-seven, one more degree than today. With very
light winds, it is hard to predict what the birds will do. Multiple flight
lines are possible and hopefully, we will be able to see them.
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Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
