Date: 10/17/26 5:45 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (17 Oct 2026) 8934 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 17, 2026
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7.75 hours
Official Counter: Gracie Sangmeister
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bella Maiwurm, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
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:
Blue skies spanned above the line of picnic tables for the entirety of the
day, providing landmark-less backdrop for the incoming array of raptors
(and corvids). The day started at 40 degrees, peaking at 54, and provided
an official cold welcome to fall. Sunny skies tried to keep counters warm.
Winds were shifting throughout the day, spanning from the northeast to the
west southwest and staying between 5 and 10 mph. Barometer measurements
were high today, reaching 30.50 by noon.
Raptor Observations:
�Let us praise the noble turkey vulture�he contemplates our little world
from a most serene and noble height�. In agreement with Edward Abbey, our
counters were happy to see streams of turkey vultures continuously
throughout the day. The birds took a low route around noon, providing
fantastic views for visitors to the site. By late afternoon they were back
to their serene and noble height, high above the picnic tables, almost a
speck in the sky. 8,783 made their way south. Though red-tails picked up
speed with 52 individuals, sharp-shins still took second with 58.
Red-shoulders tied with harriers as 12 of each were counted. Two late
broad-wings were seen. Bald eagles, Cooper�s hawks, and the trifecta of
falcons rounded out the crew.
Non-raptor Observations:
Our first crows of the season have arrived! 23 of them intermingled with
turkey vultures to cross overhead. Hopefully we will get many, many more.
Migration is in full swing for waterfowl as well, with over one thousand
cormorants and 800 Canada geese passing in long lines. The pelicans were
back in decent numbers today, 107 cruising back and forth. The sky was
filled with tree swallows and ring-billed gulls, seeming to fill the areas
of clear blue sky where the raptors did not (and sometimes also covering
the raptors. Oh how I love to pick out wobbly turkey vultures from behind
flittering swallows). Golden-crowned kinglets, a brown creeper, and
yellow-rumped warblers hopped around on the nearby maples. 2 monarchs and
1,135 blue jays made their way south as well.
Predictions:
Sunday will continue with sunny skies and will bring a rise in temperature
(a whole 8 degrees!), and 62 will feel positively balmy after today. Winds
will be coming between 10 and 15 mph from the southwest, the opposite of
what we�d like in a perfect world, but hopefully the raptors will make do.
The barometer will stay high, creating that favorable lift. Between the
sunny skies and high barometer, the turkey vultures and other assorted
raptors may power through the opposing winds. Likely in fewer numbers than
today, but we will appreciate whatever comes.
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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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