Date: 9/10/26 3:09 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (10 Sep 2026) 285 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 10, 2026
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Bella Maiwurm
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Johannes Postma,
Mark Hainen, Rebekah Graham
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site at the Lake Erie Metropark Boat Launch. We
are always willing to discuss the events of the day. Let us share our
enthusiasm with you. There will be busy days, that may require our full
attention, but those are not that frequent, and they provide great thrills
for all. We can predict good days to some degree, but the exact hour is up
to the birds, so be prepared to put in some time for the best results. Pack
a lunch😊
Weather:
�Most peculiar, Mama,� as Mr. Lennon would have said. That phrase could be
applied to the winds today as they went through a spasm of direction and
strength changes with no particular rhyme or reason. The strength varied
between three to twelve mph but not in a linear fashion. Wind directions
that we observed locally did not correspond with the weather station�s
report, as we had one big easterly blow off the lake that does not match
the graph of Weather Underground. The cloud cover was a mix of small
cumulus and more populus cirrus at first, but as the day progressed, the
clouds began to amass and left us in a much darker place than we had
started with a near solid ceiling. The temperature reached eighty, with a
couple of real-feel degrees tacked on for good measure. The barometer
bumped up against the thirty-inch mark before retreating a little.
Raptor Observations:
Our fortunes waxed and waned with the vagaries of the winds today.
Broad-wings took home the honors with one hundred and forty-six birds.
Small kettles appeared near midday, but at most other times we had smaller
numbers of less than ten. The sharp-shins are still motivated and picking
up steam, with one hundred and twenty coming through the turnstiles today.
We finally got the falcon hat-trick today with six kestrels, one merlin and
one peregrine. Northern harriers are still coming but in disappointing
numbers with only six. Two bald eagles and two turkey vultures were also
counted.
Non-raptor Observations:
The wild turkeys were out in the weeds this morning when I drove in.
Swallows, swifts and martins are still busy aloft. Today there was an
abundance of dragon flies and we saw a pair of broadwings staying behind to
hawk them, replenishing their fat reserves on the wing like the kestrels
and merlins do. A pair of local red-tails were seen pair-bonding as they
nearly clutched talons as they flew close to each other. Five mute swans
were out by the jetty. Mallards are plentiful as they are seen flying in
formations, possibly avoiding eagle interaction. The terns are still at it.
The raspy call of the Caspian resonating in the slip. The local ospreys are
still here, sitting by the nest at the park entrance. Ninety-six monarchs
wondered through.
Predictions:
Tomorrow�s winds are forecast to be a little more sane. A flip from
northeast to southeast in the starting hours is normal for the watch,
strengths are predicted to rise from four mph to eight mph over the course
of the day. The barometer should crack the thirty-inch mark, but retreat a
little in the afternoon. Temperatures should reach seventy-six degrees with
no added boost from high relative humidity. The cloud cover from today is
predicted to clear almost completely, leaving sunny skies. Although not our
favorite wind, a moderate southeast wind does not seem to slow down the
sharpies and as long as it stays reasonable, perhaps we can see some
broadwings too.
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Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
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