Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 20, 2020 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 14627 59992 61780 Osprey 0 9 31 Bald Eagle 1 29 54 Northern Harrier 3 195 326 Sharp-shinned Hawk 17 2651 4607 Cooper's Hawk 6 47 57 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 39 135 137 Broad-winged Hawk 0 675 16405 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 192 839 964 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 1 5 5 American Kestrel 1 249 636 Merlin 0 23 42 Peregrine Falcon 1 59 87 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 1 2 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 14888 64911 85135 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: Kevin Georg Observers: Alex Gilford, Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood Visitors: While Lake Erie Metropark is currently open to the public, for the safety of our counter and volunteers we encourage visitors to follow along with the count virtually on HawkCount.org, or our Detroit River Hawk Watch Facebook page. There will be daily updates and photographs.If you do decide to join us in person, please help the counter and volunteers to follow their mandated safety protocols by refraining from approaching them. Please follow the recommended Covid 19 procedures by wearing a mask and maintaining a safe social distance. Thanking you in advance for your cooperation. Stay safe! Weather: The signs looked promising for today, but they did yesterday resulting in a partial rainout. Today was cloud covered to begin the day but soon cleared to a clear blue with clouds around the distant perimeter. The moderate winds began in the NE but eventually swung round to ENE. The more northerly wind pushed to birds over the lake and it was a difficult count for the morning hours with lots of traffic other than raptors. The barometer stayed relatively stable at 30.25”, dropping a fraction as the day progressed and various cloud layers filled in. At times the high wispy cirrus clouds in various formations could be seen moving in the opposite direction as the lower clouds. In the end a thin lower veil of cloud took the sheen off the blue sky and helped us to find those raptors that fought the wind to come close to us. The cloud formations throughout the day foretold the predicted rain later tonight. Raptor Observations: Today was a day for the raptors to move with favorable winds as a high pressure system asserted itself over the rains that fell yesterday. The turkey vultures saw an opportunity and came in a steady stream, like a line of army ants spread over the whole day, including some overtime that we put in to count them. We totaled fourteen thousand six hundred and twenty seven birds. A lot of the time they were well over the lake so props to our counter, Kevin Georg, who had to concentrate all day as another non-raptor species also filled the sky running interference. The early hours seemed to be good for buteos as red-shouldered hawks came out of the blocks first, actually outnumbering red-tails, which is a reversal of the normal ratio. This was corrected later in the day. We ended with thirty nine red-shoulders and one hundred and thirty five red-tails, although we think our count should have been higher but the flight line was too far to the south to see these birds for most of the day. One bald eagle was counted today. Only three harriers were seen. Falcons were rare with only one kestrel and one peregrine noted. Seventeen sharp-shins and six Cooper’s hawks filled out the accipiter contingent. Last, but of course not least, we did see one golden eagle in the morning hours. It was a young bird and it engaged with a first year bald eagle for a few moments. Non-raptor Observations: We have witnessed a massive exodus of blue jays from Canada this year and if today is any indication the crows will follow suit. They came in staggering numbers with many flocks of over a thousand birds. They filled the sky and made counting the turkey vultures difficult at times since they chose the same flight lines out over the lake during the morning hours. One usually thinks of corvids as noisy, garrulous birds but during migration they are mute and ignore the raptors that they usually mob. Swallows were also plentiful today as the hatch must be happening around us. Bonaparte’s gulls were also seen and a possible brief sighting of a couple of immature common terns may have happened. Not absolutely sure but will try to confirm tomorrow. Predictions: We should have overnight rain and tomorrow’s start will depend on when the rain clears. As predicted, it should clear by the start of the day and after an overnight dip the barometer should bounce back up. The winds from the W start fairly strong but should diminish during the day. This is a wind that should bring the turkey vultures up closer to the watch site and hopefully the buteos will come with them. A lot depends on whether the forecast comes to pass at the appointed hour. The next few days have chances of precipitation with dips in the barometer and rebounds afterwards. Timing is everything. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kevin Georg (kevin.l.georg@gmail.com) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org More site information at hawkcount.org: https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=285