Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 29, 2020 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 333 68611 70399 Osprey 0 9 31 Bald Eagle 0 30 55 Northern Harrier 1 245 376 Sharp-shinned Hawk 6 2933 4889 Cooper's Hawk 1 56 66 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 30 512 514 Broad-winged Hawk 0 677 16407 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 97 2012 2137 Rough-legged Hawk 0 5 5 Golden Eagle 0 15 15 American Kestrel 0 252 639 Merlin 2 33 52 Peregrine Falcon 0 65 93 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 1 2 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 1 1 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 470 75458 95682 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 10:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 5 hours Official Counter: Kevin Georg Observers: 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 prediction’s slight chance of rain materialized into 100% for the site and we were forced to delay the start of the watch. It was a day of changeable weather as the early rain clouds cleared to show blue skies peppered with white cumulus clouds. In the mid afternoon hours it darkened to the north as low clouds borne on a freshening NE wind approached with a sense of urgency and apparent malign intent. We were presented with a meteorological yin and yang with white skies on the lakeside and dark blue on the landside. The barometer dropped a tenth during all the drama but stayed at 29.75” most of the day. We were on the backside of a low pressure system with the winds growing to steady double digits with gusts near 20 mph under very dark skies at the end of the day. Raptor Observations: The birds were moving today but in measured quantities as if we were on the periphery of a larger movement. Turkey vultures were sporadic but still totaled three hundred and thirty three, half of Kevin’s favorite number. Only one harrier was seen. Six sharp-shins and one Cooper’s hawk made up the accipiter contingent. The buteos were moving but in smaller groups than we have seen recently. Thirty red-shoulders and ninety seven red tails soared and then streamed rapidly overhead on the strong winds. The only falcons that could stand up to the winds were two merlins that stayed the course. Non-raptor Observations: The swallows persisted in their eternal sky search today. Crows were certainly the most numerous travelers crossing in large murders that dwarfed the numbers of other birds. Some blue jays were also noted although they are near the end of their run with only small flocks noted. Otherwise, with the turbulent weather it was a slow day for non-raptors. Predictions: Tomorrow, as the winds still stay northerly, on the leading edge of a high pressure system as the barometer will rebound, would seem to have promise. The strength of the winds may be a little more than desired but they should be NW and Holiday Beach should have a great day. Hopefully, we will share in the cornucopia. ======================================================================== 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