Detroit River Hawk Watch (04 Sep 2020) 7 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 04, 2020
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 1 9 9
Osprey 0 2 2
Bald Eagle 1 4 4
Northern Harrier 0 0 0
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 3 3
Cooper's Hawk 0 0 0
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 2 2 2
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 2 9 9
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: 7 30 30
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 6 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 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:
There was a hint of fall in the weather that greeted us this morning. The
temperatures had dropped into the sixties and the high barometric pressure
had cleared the air of clouds and humidity. Unfortunately, the wind did not
have a sufficient amount of the northern element that we were hoping for.
It remained persistently from the west as it grew in strength through the
day, moderating towards the end of the watch into high single digits. The
sky was filling with cumulus clouds as we called an end to the day. For the
most part we had a high blue clear sky devoid of both clouds and migrating
raptors. A day that had potential in some aspects did not deliver.
Raptor Observations:
We saw plenty of local birds taking advantage of the free lift that the
wind provided. Eagles, osprey and turkey vultures took advantage soaring
where the winds took them. For most of the day, there was a blank canvas
in front of us waiting to be filled. We did count one bald eagle, one
turkey vulture, one sharp-shinned, and two kestrels. Then as if to reward
us for our diligence during the day we saw our first pair of broad-winged
hawks. The September object of our desire had finally arrived, albeit in
disappointing numbers.
Non-raptor Observations:
Caspian terns and ring-billed gulls were observed, the terns diving into
the waters, the gulls in high kettles. Pied-billed grebes were finding
plenty of small fish to fill their bellies. A flight of killdeers were seen
flying overhead. A Virginia rail was observed with a very small offspring
on the boardwalk near the watch site. Four blue-winged teal flew by at
their usual rapid pace. Perhaps our prize bird of the non-raptors, one
common nighthawk was observed in the mid-afternoon hours. Plenty of
swallows, swifts, and martins were hawking insects in the skies around us.
Predictions:
Tomorrow should visually resemble todayâs final hour with sunny skies
interspersed with clouds. The winds will be more moderate with single digit
strength but moving more to the south, predicted as WSW. Although this is
not our favorite wind, perhaps the softer strength will allow the first
migrants of the season to stay closer to our site. We have not had as many
as we would have liked but patience is a virtue, or so they tell me.
Barometer will be climbing a little higher and stay in the go zone.
---======
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