Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 02, 2020 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 8 8 8 Osprey 1 2 2 Bald Eagle 0 1 1 Northern Harrier 0 0 0 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 1 1 Cooper's Hawk 0 0 0 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 1 1 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 1 2 2 Merlin 0 0 0 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 10 15 15 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Kevin Georg Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Rosemary Brady 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 Hawk Count.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: Our first view of the sky this morning made me question the accuracy of the forecast, (as I have many times before). Far from being cloudy and potentially rainy as predicted, the skies were a pleasant blue with white puffy clouds and I was glad I had applied the sunscreen. This was soon to change as the hue turned to a lighter shade of gray which gradually darkened and solidified for most of the day. The darkest hour in early afternoon brought some light rain but heavier rainfalls could be seen over the lake. The barometer was fairly steady but in a low range. Winds were fresh and increasing from the west and held their strength until the mid afternoon hours. We then had a respite of sorts after the rain as high cirrus clouds replaced the solid low ceiling for the best part of an hour. As we wrapped up the day puffy cumulus clouds were beginning to migrate in. Raptor Observations: The forecast did not bode well for raptors and we got what we expected. There were some appearances by the usual suspects in the form of local birds using the winds to stretch their wings but migrants seemed to be few and far between. We did have a Kestrel zoom by for the second one of the season. A few Turkey Vultures wafted by but did not seem especially motivated. The Bald Eagles were well represented as these high wind conditions are to their taste. A Red-tailed Hawk was observed soaring in an aimless pattern. Non-raptor Observations: The Caspian Terns were center stage again today. We did spot one lone Forster’s Tern riding the buoys but being evicted from time to time by the Ring-billed Gulls who claimed pecking order seniority. It may be that musical chairs was invented by birds as the frequently bump each other from their favored perches. A pair of Lesser Yellowlegs passed over and one was seen feeding on the floating vegetation today. The Pied-billed Grebes seem to be converging again as at least five were seen together today. One was observed struggling to down its catch in front of us, film at eleven. A Common Loon was seen in the morning hours flying to the northwest as is their normal flight path. During the lull in the middle of the day we watched hummingbirds feeding at the trumpet vines behind us. Monarch butterflies are coming in moderate numbers. Predictions: Tomorrow’s forecast shows an increasing wind to the low teens in strength from the SSW during the watch hours but a falling barometric pressure. This does not look that promising but the rebound on Friday with a rising barometer and better winds may increase avian traffic at the site. ======================================================================== 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: http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=285