Date: 9/26/26 6:06 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (26 Sep 2026) 241 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 26, 2026
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Gracie Sangmeister
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bella Maiwurm, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Mark Hainen, Michelle Peregord, Rosemary Brady
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:
Well, our faces continue to enjoy a break from the wind and our ears got a
rest from yesterday�s relentless pile driver. And unfortunately our eyes
continue to get a break from counting large kettles. The skies remained
blue throughout the day, a few patches of clouds painting the horizon above
the lake. The winds topped out at eleven miles per hour, fairly consistent
from the north to northeast. The temperature reached seventy-one degrees.
The barometer peaked at thirty point thirty-one before continuing on its
decent to thirty point eighteen by the end of the day, the declining lift
certainly not helping our birds appear.
Raptor Observations:
Red-shoulders have debuted! The first two immature red-shouldered hawks
have been added to the scoreboard, one passing low overhead, providing
great looks and photos. Turkey vultures took first place, with one hundred
and thirty-one individuals streaming across the lake. Thousands more should
hopefully join their ranks in the coming weeks as their peak approaches.
Sharp-shins took second, with forty-one birds appearing from the blue.
Thirty-seven broadies, who missed the memo to join the large kettles of
last week, proceeded south today. A handful of northern harriers and
kestrels made appearances as well.
Non-raptor Observations:
One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight blue jays made their way
southward bound in groups of fifty to three hundred. The usual locals were
out and about. Our log-rolling egret practiced its footwork, white-breasted
nuthatch laughed its way up and down the maples, and the Caspian tern pairs
patrolled the edge of the docks. The red-headed woodpecker made another
appearance today! One hundred and fifty American white pelicans were
wheeling about the sky, demonstrating fantastic acrobatics for such a large
bird. Five monarchs drifted past the picnic tables.
Predictions:
Any day with birds is a good day, though we can always be hopeful for skies
covered in accipiters, buteos, and more. Tomorrow�s temperature will peak
at seventy-five degrees with full sun and deep blue skies. The winds will
be coming from the north all day, somewhere between five and ten miles per
hour. The barometer is continuing on the decline, and will reach
twenty-nine point nine six by days end. The odds are not great for a large
movement, but hopefully our sharp-shins, harriers, and turkey vultures will
keep our counters occupied.
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Report submitted by Erika Van Kirk (<erika_vankirk...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
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