DRHW- Lake Erie Metropark Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 20, 2011 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 43 230 230 Osprey 4 38 38 Bald Eagle 4 60 60 Northern Harrier 6 76 76 Sharp-shinned Hawk 79 1626 1626 Cooper's Hawk 1 52 52 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 2 2 Broad-winged Hawk 38 192967 192967 Swainson's Hawk 0 5 5 Red-tailed Hawk 0 66 66 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 13 334 334 Merlin 0 7 7 Peregrine Falcon 1 4 4 Unknown Accipiter 0 4 4 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 1 Total: 189 195473 195473 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Greg Norwood Observers: Fred Kirn, John Elliott Visitors: A large group from the Jackson Audubon Society dropped by in the afternoon. Weather: Overcast with heavy fog in the morning, there was significant clearing, which brightened up the afternoon. Winds were out of the northwest at the start but shifted to the east as the day wore on. Raptor Observations: The midday hours featured limited turkey vulture and broad-winged hawk movement. Sharp-shinned activity was fairly consistent throughout. Non-raptor Observations: A lesser yellowlegs, a couple yellow-rumped warblers and a few horned larks were seen during the morning hours. Blue Jay migration is beginning to pick up. An estimated 2,000-4,000 passed by today. It was also a good day for Monarchs with an estimated 1,500 seen from the count site. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Greg Norwood (Greg_Norwood@fws.gov) SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark information may be found at: http://www.drhawkwatch.org Site Description: The primary site used by the Detroit River Hawk Watch (a joint venture of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and it's Friends group, the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance) is the Boat Launch at Lake Erie Metropark located approximately 20 miles south of Detroit, Michigan. A secondary site, the Headquarters of Pointe Mouillee State Game Area is used during certain wind conditions. When staffing is available, both sites can be used at the same time. The season begins on the first day of September and concludes on the final day of November. For details and directions, log on to www.drhawkwatch.org Directions to site: Lake Erie Metropark: >From I-75, exit at Huron River Drive (exit 27). Continue east on Huron River Drive. Turn left on West Jefferson and proceed a few hundred yards to the entrance of Lake Erie Metropark. After paying the entrance fee, follow the signs to the Boat Launch.