Date: 11/29/25 4:52 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (29 Nov 2025) 8 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 29, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Johannes Postma, Sam Heilman
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
A solid overcast held firm all day, a white sky pushing in from the
southeast and threatening snow from the moment we arrived. Despite the
below-freezing temperatures and lack of sunlight, it felt noticeably warmer
than it has all week. The relentless gusts finally eased; a gentle, steady
breeze stayed under 10 mph. The band of snow reached us earlier than
predicted, with flurries beginning around 2 p.m. The barometer dipped as
the system moved in.
Raptor Observations:
Migration was a near mirror of yesterday. Eight raptors braved the headwind
and advancing snow. A Sharp-shinned Hawk opened the day and remained the
only representative of its species, passing low and directly over the count
site. Three Bald Eagles, one adult and two juveniles, pressed through. A
young Red-tailed Hawk with a belly band so thick it mimicked a rough-leg
took a high line; an adult followed the same route not long after. Two
Northern Harriers crossed over Celeron and skimmed low across the lake.
Non-raptor Observations:
Two local Cooper’s Hawks perched together in the trees behind us,
chattering to one another. A White-crowned Sparrow joined the growing flock
of American Tree Sparrows in the grass. They’ve become bold companions,
foraging just feet from our boots. The Bald Eagle located a dead drake
mallard and made several unsuccessful attempts to lift it. After a brief
rest on its snag, it returned and managed to drag the duck to shore,
thankfully without swimming this time. Hooded Mergansers dove in the lotus
beds, Scaup rafted out on Lake Erie, and hundreds of Tundra Swans were on
the wing throughout the day.
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks likely to be snowed out. And if the precipitation doesn’t
shut down migration, the forecasted southwest winds, with gusts up to 40
mph, almost certainly will. It’s exciting to see snow accumulating
finally, but we doubt many birds will be flying.
I’ve had a wonderful season as the official counter for DRHW! Thank you
all for your dedication and commitment. I’ll miss the watch and look
forward to reading these reports next year.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Kate Fairbairn, Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood
Visitors:
Thanks to Paul Gosselin, Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood, and Kate Fairbairn
for helping out with the count amidst the cold and cloudy conditons today.
Weather:
The day temperature started at a low of -2°C (real feel of -8°C)
eventually climbing to 0°C. Winds consistently stayed lower than 5kph with
direction fluctuating from NW to NNE to S. The skies were cloudy all day
maintaining a steady barometric pressure between 30.30 and 30.22 in of Hg.
The Humidity jumped considerably from 41 to 62% regardless of the cold dry
day.
Raptor Observations:
Northern Harriers (6) took the top spot today ahead of the Bald Eagles (4),
Red-tailed Hawks (3), Cooper's Hawks (2) and tied for the lowest were the
Turkey Vulture and the Sharp Shinned Hawk. Low numbers but still some
diversity.
Non-raptor Observations:
Nearing the end of the season we still have our dedicated Belted Kingfisher
that is still lingering about, along with the movement of American
Goldfinches (172) and Horned Larks (62). Highlight of the day, other than
the biting cold temperature, was the lone DC Cormorant leading a flock of
American White Pelicans (34) - times are a changin'. 59 species were
recorded from the tower today. eBird checklist available here -
https://ebird.org/checklist/S286691617
Predictions:
Tomorrow shows a consistent 2°C temperature (real feel of -6°C) with a
bit of morning snow (0-1cm) and steady cloud cover. Wind speed will be
between 28-33kph, with gusts up to 46kph at times and wind direction
gradually moving from SW to W throughout the day. Not the best conditions
for any kind of migration. Humidity will be much higher than today,
probably from the added precipitation.
Good luck to all those observing on the tower tomorrow and thanks for a
great Hawk Count season!
========================================================================
Report submitted by (<aldobertucci...>)
Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://hbmo.ca/
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Kate Fairbairn, Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood
Visitors:
Thanks to Paul Gosselin, Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood, and Kate Fairbairn
for helping out with the count amidst the cold and cloudy conditons today.
Weather:
The day temperature started at a low of -2°C (real feel of -8°C)
eventually climbing to 0°C. Winds consistently stayed lower than 5kph with
direction fluctuating from NW to NNE to S. The skies were cloudy all day
maintaining a steady barometric pressure between 30.30 and 30.22 in of Hg.
The Humidity jumped considerably from 41 to 62% regardless of the cold dry
day.
Raptor Observations:
Northern Harriers (6) took the top spot today ahead of the Bald Eagles (4),
Red-tailed Hawks (3), Cooper's Hawks (2) and the lone Sharp Shinned Hawk.
Low numbers but still some diversity.
Non-raptor Observations:
Nearing the end of the season we still have our dedicated Belted Kingfisher
that is still lingering about, along with the movement of American
Goldfinches (172) and Horned Larks (62). Highlight of the day, other than
the biting cold temperature, was the lone DC Cormorant leading a flock of
American White Pelicans (34) - times are a changin'. 59 species were
recorded from the tower today. eBird checklist available here -
https://ebird.org/checklist/S286691617
Predictions:
Tomorrow shows a consistent 2°C temperature (real feel of -6°C) with a
bit of morning snow (0-1cm) and steady cloud cover. Wind speed will be
between 28-33kph, with gusts up to 46kph at times and wind direction
gradually moving from SW to W throughout the day. Not the best conditions
for any kind of migration. Humidity will be much higher than today,
probably from the added precipitation.
Good luck to all those observing on the tower tomorrow and thanks for a
great Hawk Count season!
========================================================================
Report submitted by (<aldobertucci...>)
Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://hbmo.ca/
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Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 13:30:00 Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Michelle Mastellotto, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman
Visitors: Thanks to Noel, Mike and Bryce for keeping me company and helping out with the count today. Michelle popped by briefly in the afternoon as well.
I would like to say thank-you to all of the wonderful volunteers who have joined me on the tower this month, sharing snacks, laughter and comradery.
Weather: The change of the season was in the air today. The forests surrounding the marsh are grey and leafless, the vegetation in the marsh has died off and the majority of water in the marsh froze overnight. The small pond behind the tower is totally coated in ice, small lines of fallen snow being blown across it in mesmerizing waves. The winter season has arrived in Essex County, don't be fooled by the lack of snow on the ground or reindeer in the air. Since today was my last of the season as official counter, I arrived at the tower before dawn to soak in my last sunrise over the marsh of 2025. The sky was a lovely gradient from dark blue to light pink, thin lines of dark clouds with their edges illuminated in gold. Yeah, it's hard to beat a nice sunrise. The start temperature of -3 (feel of -9) gave further hints that December is near. We have been tormented by strong winds for the last several days, and today we were given a bit of relief from that, albeit the relief was small. The wind was from the West all day at 15-30kph, sometimes gusting over the 40kph mark. The West wind made a feeble, frankly pathetic attempt to shift to the WNW, always bouncing back after a few minutes. The sky started off clear with the exception of some dark dramatic clouds over the lake to the East, then gradually cumulus clouds moved in during the morning. For the next few hours it was a perfect hawkwatching sky with contrasting patches of blue and white, though the lack of raptors made it somewhat less enjoyable. After 11:00 the sky took on a more ominous vibe, dark clouds moving in from the West, choking out the remaining blue. Isolated bands of snow could occasionally be seen to the North, though we only got a few flakes on the tower. The temperature never made it past the freezing mark, and dropped in the afternoon when the dark clouds rolled in. The pressure gained several points today, ending near 30.26.
Raptor Observations: Well I had hoped for a more spectacular last day, I was very happy not to be shut out with another 0 day. The first bird of the day was a Golden Eagle, something that basically never happens. It was a lovely subadult too, with contrasting white wing flashes and a golden carpal bar on the upperwings. Another Golden Eagle later in the morning gave us only brief views before dipping below the trees. But hey, we will take it. It was a slow and steady kind of day, with 1-4 birds during most of the hours. Turkey Vultures wanted to have one more day at the top spot, with 4 individuals seen. Red-tailed Hawks, confused by their loss to TVs came in a three-way tie for 2nd place, joined by Northern Harrier and Bald Eagle at 3 each. 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk and 1 Cooper's Hawk added some diversity today.
Non-raptor Observations: The morning songbird flight was more active today than it has been all week, with steady numbers of American Goldfinch (1,617) passing by during the morning. Other highlights included; Yellow-rumped Warbler (2), Purple Finch (4), Cedar Waxwing (36), Horned Lark (126), American Pipit (1) and American Robin (45). This November has been a record shattering one for American Goldfinch, with 35,342 recorded. This one-month total is well higher than the season total for any other year, and brings our season total over 45,000. The cause for this is thought to be the complete collapse of the birch crop across the eastern Boreal forest. On the lake today there was a strong movement of scaup and Canvasback moving West, with over 4000 recorded. Smaller numbers of Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser flew past along shore. Killdeer (3) linger on the shoreline, likely contemplating life choices. Since the marsh is close to 90% frozen over, the dabbling ducks have been concentrated in large clusters around the remaining patches of open water. Mallard (3,800), Gadwall (2,200) and American Black Duck (650) were all present in very high numbers today. On the other end of the spectrum, Pied-billed Grebes were absent and Ring-necked Duck (90) was recorded in the lowest numbers of the month. Gulls flew over the marsh all day, mainly American Herring Gull (356), though a single Great Black-backed Gull was seen mixed in with them. 67 species were recorded from the tower today, not a bad total for the end of November. eBird checklist available here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S286550540
Predictions: Tomorrow will be another cold day on the tower, with a start temperature of -1 and an overcast sky all day. The wind will be very light from the South/Southeast and there is a slight chance for snow in the afternoon. These are pretty unfavorable conditions for movement, but hopefully we can record a few birds. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/28/25 2:21 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (28 Nov 2025) 6 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 28, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Erika Van Kirk,
Jerry Jourdan, Johannes Postma, Sam Heilman
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
Despite a rising barometer, and deceptive early sunshine, the notion that
November had renounced its Iron-Claw grip on our last week of the watch was
soon dispelled. At first, cumulus clouds with white overtones swept in,
only to be quickly replaced by a more Machiavellian collection of closely
arranged army-clouds ready to do sinister things if so directed. We could
see snow, possibly lake-effect, falling from the distant clouds over the
lake. For once, the whitecaps, driven by the westerly anti-trade winds,
were headed to the Ohio shore, rather than ours. The wind speed was
significant, reaching twenty-three mph at its peak, and spending most of
the day in the fifteen to twenty mph bracket. The temperature peaked at
thirty-three degrees, but spent nearly all day in the freezing zone, as
evidenced by the expanding thin ice sheet on the shallow water in front of
us. The water level had recovered somewhat from yesterday, but was still
low, with areas of bottom vegetation exposed. Completing the trek to the
boat launch in a motor boat was challenging, as we noticed an abundance of
caution, and muddy wakes, in the few that dared try it.
Raptor Observations:
It was hard to declare a winner today. The few birds that were hardy enough
to fly into an adverse wind all deserved a pat on the scapulars. Three
red-tailed hawks did not help much in our deficit of this species this
year. It is extremely unlikely, with the weather forecast for the next two
days, that we will accomplish more to change that shortage. One, was the
loneliest number for three species today. A lone northern harrier came by
early, a juvie bald eagle with distinct markings was counted, and our bird
of the day was a beautiful young golden eagle that took some time to reach
us, as the winds pushed it back when it paused to soar. They always proceed
at a measured regal pace, it’s a good thing they are not headed to South
America with the broadwings.
Non-raptor Observations:
The ducks seemed very active today for some reason. Perhaps the urge to
move soon is making them take to the air. Lots of dabblers and geese were
in the shallow waters in the slip, where they had access to the bottom, and
were in the lee of the nearby breakwall. Tundra swans were perhaps our most
frequent flyer. Lots of flights were spotted, at times with their signature
calls helping to locate them.
The local eagles, who love high winds, were in their element today,
covering huge amounts of ground with little effort expended. Our very local
birds, next to us at the site, were American tree sparrows and juncos, with
a red-bellied woodpecker thrown in for good measure. The largest group of
Bonaparte’s gulls we have seen were present in the morning for a brief
time, but sought more sheltered waters as the wind increased.
Predictions:
Tomorrow has one positive thing, a rising barometer in the early morning
hours. The rest of the forecast is a lot less positive. The barometer will
plunge about seven tenths in the afternoon and evening of Saturday with
southern winds, and snow of unknown quantities, but usually spoken of in
multiples of inches, on the agenda. The big drop in pressure will kick up
the wind speed again, to the high teens on Sunday, mostly from a westerly
direction but with a slightly southern flavor. Birds don’t like low
pressure areas, so the odds of seeing significant numbers of birds are less
than the odds of getting numb hands and feet while looking for them.
November just doesn’t like us this year….
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Date: 11/27/25 4:08 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (27 Nov 2025) Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 27, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 12:00:00
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers:
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
For the second consecutive day, observation was cut short by high winds
(and also Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving!). Sustained winds hovered
around 20 mph, and just when it seemed manageable, a sudden 30 mph gust
would roll through. The riverbed slowly refilled over the course of the
morning, water creeping back over the exposed mud. Temperatures remained
below freezing and felt sharper under a gray, overcast sky. Frost coated
the ground, and the first hour brought intermittent snow flurries. The
barometer continued its recovery from Tuesday’s drop, climbing past 30"
today.
Raptor Observations:
Nothing. Again.
Non-raptor Observations:
Bonaparte’s, Ring-billed, and Herring Gulls capitalized on fish stranded
in the remaining muddy pools, turning the scene into more of an
all-you-can-eat buffet than any display of technique. A local Bald Eagle
made a brief pass through the area.
Predictions:
The barometer is expected to continue its steep rise. Temperatures will
stay below freezing, and the westerly winds will maintain their blustery
pace. Tomorrow has the chance to be better than today, but the bar is low.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 12:00:00 Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Daniel Lee, Juliette Herdman, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman
Visitors: Thanks to Mike, Daniel, Noel and Juliette for helping out with the count today. I am fortunate to have such good company on these blustery November days, and even more fortunate to have company who brings me hot chocolate.
Weather: Another blustery day up on the tower! The wind was slightly reduced compared to yesterday at 25-40kph, though gusts over 50kph were fairly frequent. The wind was from the West today, which is a bit better for us than Southwest because the forest beside the lake seems to buffer the wind a bit. It was a chilly day at 1C, feeling more like -8C with the windchill. The sky was mainly overcast all day, with the sun breaking through dramatically sometimes, casting a golden glow over the marsh with dark storm clouds in the background. At times we could see bands of snow moving over the landscape to the North, but we only had a few snowflakes fall on the tower. The pressure held at around 30.03.
Raptor Observations: I was expecting another shutout today, So I was pleasantly surprised to see 12 migrating raptors. Turkey Vultures stubbornly took the top spot at 7, apparently they haven't gotten the memo that red-tails are meant to be more common at this point. Red-tailed Hawks followed in second place at 3, including a nice northern type adult bird. 1 Cooper's Hawk and 1 Red-shouldered Hawk added some diversity to the flight.
Non-raptor Observations: Quite a switch from yesterday, when we recorded large numbers of ducks on the lake but basically no other migration. Today the lake was pretty quiet for ducks, with finches and gulls being the main species moving in numbers. Large groups of American Herring Gull (368) moved along the shoreline, a single Lesser Black-backed Gull mixed in with them (3rd this season). Killdeer (3) made an appearance on the shoreline today after being absent all week, these shorebirds are getting late now and won't be around much longer. American Goldfinch (138) were doing their best to migrate into the headwind, often passing by low beneath the tower. Purple Finch (2), Common Grackle (1), American Robin (16) and Cedar Waxwing (14) were the only other songbirds seen migrating today. Tundra Swans (155) passed overhead in small groups throughout the morning, sometimes continuing South over Lake Erie. 48 species were observed from the tower today, for the eBird list click here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S286382546
Predictions: The last three days of the count are looking rather unpleasant at the moment. Tomorrow may be the most promising of the lot, not that that's saying very much. At -1C it will be another cold day on the tower, though the wind is meant to be a but lighter so that should make a difference. There is a slight chance the wind will shift from West to WNW. There is also a slight change for some sunshine during the first half of the day. These two factors could encourage some raptors to move, so we shall see what happens. South winds are forecasted for Saturday, followed by a windy and snowy end to the count on Sunday. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Observation start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 11:00:00 Total observation time: 2.5 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Mike Jaber
Visitors: Thanks to Mike and Bryce for keeping me company on the tower today. There weren't too many birds to see, so it was nice to have people to chat with : )
Weather: Today was one of those days when you don't want to move too far away from your spotting scope, for fear it may get swept off the tower, the wind potentially strong enough to bring it all the way to the mystical realm of Oz. The Southwesterly wind was around 35kph when I arrived, but by the end of the watch it was starting to pick up with some gusts over the 60kph mark! The temperature also dropped during the day, from 6C to 4C, making that strong wind off the lake feel fairly fresh. Large whitecaps could be seen out on Lake Erie all day, as the water is pushed towards the eastern basin. The sky remained overcast all day, with a few drops of rain near the end of the watch. Due to the lack of movement and increasing wind, the count was only conducted for three hours today.
Raptor Observations: Several of our resident Bald Eagles were up playing in the wind today, joined by a pair of Red-tailed Hawks for a bit. There was a lone Turkey Vulture seen to the East, but it held in place for over an hour and then seemed to drop down (smart bird).
Non-raptor Observations: The lake was fairly active this morning, with large numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers and scaup (mostly greater) flying past along the shoreline. Smaller numbers of dabbling ducks, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye were seen, though the scope shake was so bad that it was difficult to see well at times. Highlights on the lake included Great Black-backed Gull (2nd this season) and Red-throated Loon (2nd this season). The songbird migration front was extremely quiet, 2 American Goldfinch, 12 Cedar Waxwing and 1 American Crow. These birds were being blown sideways at times and were really struggling to move West into the wind. On the marsh all the usual suspects were present, including our solo Trumpeter Swan friend. Only 45 species were recorded today, though the wind kept activity at a minimum and made it hard to hear, so that's no real surprise. eBird list available here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S286271251
Predictions: Overnight the wind will be switching from Southwest to West and gradually decreasing in speed, so in the morning it should be "only" 30kph. The gusts could still be over 60kph though, so it's not really a massive change compared to today. The temperature will be colder as well, starting below the freezing point and only climbing to around 2C. It is doubtful there will be much moving, but we shall see. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/26/25 12:07 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (26 Nov 2025) Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 26, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 12:00:00
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers:
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
November seems determined to go out with a blast. Unfortunately, that blast
is of gale force southwestern winds, not raptors. After three hours in
30mph winds with frequent 50mph gusts, and the “feels like” air
temperature in the low teens, the watch ended early. I feared that I too,
along with all the water in Lake Erie, would be blown away to Buffalo. This
seiche is predicted to be the largest since 2023!
Raptor Observations:
Unsurprisingly, no migrating raptors were seen today.
Non-raptor Observations:
Dozens of gulls danced in the morning wind, but as it grew stronger, they
resigned to the exposed lakebed, along with Canada Geese and Mallards. All
the birds eventually gained an even brown belly as they paddled through the
mud. The local eagle pair made huge sweeping circles around the sky, but
they too were grounded by the afternoon gales. A Mourning Dove and the pale
resident red-tail were the only other birds to brave crossing the slip.
Predictions:
Tomorrow the winds will ease and turn west, but they will still be
considerably forceful at 20mph and 40mph gusts. The temperature will
continue to feel like it’s in the low teens, and may be worse than today
as the tree line cannot shelter us as well from western winds. If there
are any raptors traveling tomorrow we would be truly surprised.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Erika Van Kirk (<erika_vankirk...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
JacksonAudubon Society - Haehnle Sanctuary Crane Count 11/24/2025 by Don Henise
You can view past postings and historical crane countingdata on
Haehnle web site
JASBlog page
And on JAS or Haehnle FB pages
Regards,Steve Jerant
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Observation start time: 07:45:00
Observation end time: 09:00:00
Total observation time: 1.25 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers:
Visitors:
Noel and Juliette dropped off hot chocolate for me when I arrived, a nice
treat on a morning like this. Otherwise I didn’t see a soul at the park
today, no surprise given the weather.
Weather:
Today’s weather was just as horrendous as it was forcasted to be.
Arriving at the tower I was greeted by a steady downpour of rain, light
southeast winds and the feeling of dread. The visibility was very reduced
today, I could hardly see out over the lake or to the far side of the
marsh. Fog continued to build as the hour went on, which coupled with
intensifying rain led to the count being ended for the day at 09:00. The
rain was meant to stop mid afternoon, however due to the fog and wind
direction, it seemed unlikely that birds would be moving today. At the
least the temperature was bearable, at 7C. The barometer fell drastically
again, and will continue to fall until midday tomorrow as a low pressure
system moves through our area.
Raptor Observations:
The only raptors seen today were the local Bald Eagles, perched along the
edge of the marsh and not looking too interested in doing anything. Can’t
blame them.
Non-raptor Observations:
Normally when the raptor flight is dead, there is some other activity going
on… songbirds migrating overhead, waterfowl on Lake Erie… well today
there was no detectable migration during my time spent at the tower. The
only birds seen were songbirds around the tower area and some marsh birds
that I could make out through the fog. Duck numbers were heavily reduced
today because I couldn’t even see the most productive parts of the marsh.
Sparrows foraged around the edge of the marsh in good numbers, highlighted
by a single lingering Fox Sparrow. The male Hairy Woodpecker that has been
hanging around for the last week is still here, sometimes uncommon species
at the site (and generally in Essex). On the marsh the lone Trumpeter Swan
continues to hang around it’s group of 4 Mute Swans, who are friends or
enemies depending on the moment.
Pitiful eBird list available here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S286115792
Predictions:
Well tomorrow is certainly interesting from a weather standpoint.
Interesting in the way that gale force winds are expected to cause a seiche
on Lake Erie that could be one of the largest in recent history, with the
water level on the western basin being as much as 6ft lower, and 11ft
higher in Buffalo, New York! The wind could be gusting to as high as 75kph
from the Southwest, with precipitation likely in the morning.
This equals absolutely terrible conditions for migrating raptors, so I
expect a near repeat of today. I am curious to see if there are any
gulls/ducks moving on the lake though, so I’ll still head over to check
things out at the tower.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>)
Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/25/25 4:35 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [birders] NYTimes.com: We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
These same tags are being put on hummingbirds now.
On Fri, Nov 21, 2025, 8:57 AM Fred Kaluza <fredkaluza...> wrote:
> There is an “app” for your phone which you can download for free. It’s
> called “Project Monarch Science”. Once you install it, it will use the
> Bluetooth transceiver in your phone as well as the GPS receiver in your
> phone and will let the researchers know when and where if any tagged
> Monarchs come within about 50 feet of you. It also plots the last-known
> locations of any Monarchs with tags on a map within the app.
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Dody Wyman <dody...>
> *Sent:* Thursday, November 20, 2025 10:35:51 AM
> *To:* birders <birders...>
> *Subject:* [birders] NYTimes.com: We Can Now Track Individual Monarch
> Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
>
> This is fascinating.
>
> From The New York Times:
>
> We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
>
> Scientists used tiny new sensors to follow the insects on journeys that
> take thousands of miles to their winter colonies in Mexico.
>
>
> https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/science/monarch-butterfly-migration-tracking-sensor.html?smid=em-share >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<48AF324D-DDC0-4A4D-BBE2-A773FF4975DC...> > .
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
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> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
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> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<SJ2PR02MB97082258602C3DD84D46D609FCD5A...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<SJ2PR02MB97082258602C3DD84D46D609FCD5A...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
Date: 11/24/25 2:32 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (24 Nov 2025) 1 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 24, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Erika Van Kirk, Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
Sir Winston Churchill once observed that “it has been said that democracy
is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have
been tried from time to time.” The phrase might be modified to describe
today and the coming days in the rest of the week. Today was a very bad day
with only one bird observed, but the rest of the week might actually be
worse. The day seemed benign in appearance, with early cirrus and gathering
alto cirrus clouds becoming more opaque as the hours went by, until the
early sun was completely hidden. The winds were off the lake from the
south-southeast, strong enough at times to create small whitecaps, but
easing in the final hours. We were sheltered for the most part and did not
feel it’s effects. We did notice an eerie absence of, not only raptors,
but the “others” were few and far between. Very few ducks and gulls
were seen in our slip. The barometer was starting a downward slide that
will end bottom out on Wednesday and this may have played a factor in the
lack of birds. They may be skirting around the rain due tomorrow. The
temperature reached forty-nine degrees, tolerable for late November.
Perhaps the only weather parameter that has been relatively kind to us in
the final month.
Raptor Observations:
Red-tails win! Red-tails win! However, much like baseball in which we
declare a World Series winner, we forget to actually invite the rest of the
world. There was no competition today as the single red-tail ran
unopposed.
Non-raptor Observations:
It was a very quiet day on the “others” front. A couple of flights of
sandhill cranes were seen, a pair one time, and a trio another. There were
some large distant flights of ducks seen in the morning hours migrating at
their usual rapid pace. Our small collection of hooded mergansers took off
for parts unknown, as the general avian flight continued from our slip
today. Tree sparrows were noted nearby, along with a downy woodpecker. Our
local Coop gave us a fly over in the early part of the watch, pictures on
FB tonight.
Predictions:
The barometer will continue to slide downward at a forty-five-degree angle
tomorrow, never good. The rain should not reach that angle since milder
winds are predicted. Cloud cover should be nearly complete all day. The
barometer will rebound on Wednesday and Thursday nearly nine tenths of an
inch, a significant difference which means significant winds, over twenty
mph on Wednesday, continuing through Thanksgiving. Not good. Friday may be
the last opportunity to see raptors, although the winds are not favorable.
Saturday and Sunday may have us breaking out the snowblowers for the first
time this fall, with over three inches of snow predicted at the time of
this writing.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:30:00
Observation end time: 13:45:00
Total observation time: 6.25 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Juliette Herdman, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman
Visitors:
Thanks to Mike, Noel and Juliette for helping out with the count today.
Linda and Lisa also stopped by for a bit in the morning. We were visited by
Lou, Tony and Jim from Windsor.
Weather:
Dawn on the tower was calm and cold, only a hint of East wind and the
temperature below the freezing mark at -2C. A light frost coated the tower,
making the floorboards slippery when moving around. The sky started off
relatively clear, though wispy cirrus clouds soon began to move in and were
covering the sky by mid morning. The wind shifted from the East to the
Southeast/South for the remainder of the day, increasing in speed
moderately in the afternoon. The cirrus clouds prevented the surface from
heating up too much today, adding their classic sun-shade effect. A lower
and darker layer of clouds moved in during the early afternoon, making the
sky even darker (“ugly” was Juliette’s description of it). The sky
displayed several interesting spectacles today, such as a “sun dog” and
a sun halo later in the day.
Raptor Observations:
The final week of the hawkwatch is upon us now, though it looks like we may
not be going out with the massive raptor flight of our dreams. The bar is
very low this week due to the unfavourable winds and forecasted
precipitation, and today was no exception. Given that, today was a great
day at the Hawkwatch with 25 birds observed! It’s easy to exceed
expectations when the bar is low. Turkey Vulture was our most common bird
today at 12, followed by a three-way tie between Red-tailed Hawk, Northern
Harrier and Sharp-shinned Hawk, at 3 a piece. 2 Merlin and 1 nice adult
Red-shouldered Hawk were nice highlights. The count was ended early today
because there were no raptors seen for the final hour and a half and
conditions were worsening.
We sympathize with Detroit River Hawkwatch, who recorded only a single
raptor today. That easily could have been our fate today, and it may be
later this week.
Non-raptor Observations:
The cool morning, combined with poor winds and high humidity seems to shut
down the majority of the songbird flight today. American Goldfinch (651)
and Cedar Waxwing (107) were some of the only birds moving today, and both
didn’t really start going through until after 09.00. Small numbers of
Purple Finch (6), Lapland Longspur (1), Snow Bunting (2) and American Pipit
(8) were some highlights on the songbird migration front.
Lake Erie was extremely quiet today, the ever present rafts of ducks that
forever remain on the horizon line didn’t even make an appearance to
torment me. Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and a few Red-breasted Merganser
were the only signs of life out there.
On the marsh Mute Swan (24) have increased again, after being present in
low numbers since the marsh froze briefly earlier in the month. This is an
unwelcome change, since this is an invasive species here. Duck numbers
remain fairly consistent, with the bulk of ducks on the marsh being either
Ring-necked Duck (1,236), Mallard (1,250) and Gadwall (1,850). A single
Great Egret continues to linger at the back of the marsh.
eBird list available here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S285994332
Predictions:
Tomorrow it is meant to be overcast all day, with southeast wind and a high
chance of precipitation from the morning all the way through the afternoon.
These are very poor conditions for our site, and it is unlikely many birds
will be moving.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>)
Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/23/25 2:33 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (23 Nov 2025) 59 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 23, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 15:30:00
Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Andrew Sturgess
Observers: Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Jerry Jourdan,
Michelle Peregord
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
We set a low bar today given the predicted westerly winds, so perhaps you
could say we met our expectations, but not our hopes. The wind was mostly
western with a few modest deviations to both north and south of that line.
The speed was not steady, staying for the most part above ten mph, with
occasional forays up to fifteen. The skies were variable too, low cumulus
clouds were ushered to the exits early, replaced by a clear blue sky until
the afternoon hours, when altocumulus clouds, resembling the ripples in the
sand left by a receding tide, began to fill the sky. Unfortunately, that
was all that filled the sky, as the raptors were few and far between. The
barometer was climbing back above the thirty-inch mark, but that will only
last a day before heading south again. The temperature reached fifty-three
degrees, which might have been more comfortable had it not been for the
persistent wind. November has not been a kind month to us and it is going
to double down this last week of the watch.
Raptor Observations:
Turkey vultures should not be on the top step, if we had our way, but the
numbers are what they are. We have had a very good TV year and they are
reluctant to cede the top step to the red-tails. Thirty-three of them
showed up today, beating the tails, who could only manage nineteen. Most of
the red-tails would fly one step forward and soar two steps back when the
wind pushed them back towards Canada. Only two red-shoulders were noted.
The same number of sharp-shins pushed into the wind. One northern harrier
was seen hiding in the lee of the trees. One golden eagle was noted at a
distance. A peregrine falcon did fly over in the prescribed manner and was
tallied.
Non-raptor Observations:
Pelicans! They were back today in a flight of about eighty birds. They have
been reported as late as January in previous years, but we had not seen
them for some time. The winds were blowing into the slip today, moving the
water out, causing consternation for both boaters, and the normal gull
occupants that sought more sheltered areas. Tree sparrows were noted today
nearby. Red-bellied woodpeckers were also present. A pair of sandhill
cranes were observed in flight. Hooded mergansers are still back in the
sheltered part of the slip. Twenty-three American crows murdered the wind.
Predictions:
Tomorrow does not look great, yet, it may be the best of a bad lot for the
last week of the watch. We have rain, snow and high winds in the forecast
and I suspect the full seven hours each day may not be manned. Mostly
cloudy skies are predicted tomorrow as rain should be here on Tuesday. The
barometer will be rising, but so will the strength of winds from the south,
from four to ten mph during the watch. Temperatures will reach fifty-one
degrees, before taking a polar plunge later in the week. November, the
cruelest of months, is channeling Porky Pig and saying “Th-th-that’s
all, folks”
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Juliette Herdman, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Paul for handling Offical Counter duties, with many helpful observers: Mike J., Noel, Juliette, Kate, and Robin. Toni, Lou, David P., Sarah M., and Roz all visited the tower today.
Weather: A cool start (3C), with winds blowing mildly out of the west, and a touch of cloud cover. By noon wind direction had shifted southwest, but would return to straight west. 12C was the high for today.
Raptor Observations: Constant west winds made for a slow day on the raptor front. Turkey Vultures just squeaked into first place (40), closely followed by Red-tailed (37). We then have a two-way tie for 3rd, with 10 apiece awarded to Sharp-shinned and Red-shouldered Hawks. Another two-way tie for 4th saw Cooper's and Northern Harriers tally 5 each. Golden Eagles weren't as numerous today, with only 3 observed.
Non-raptor Observations: Ducks continue to reign supreme on the marsh (4373). A large squadron of American White Pelicans flew over the marsh in perfect formation, and American Goldfinch continue to move in good numbers (705). The eBird checklist can be found here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S285846664
Predictions: Patches of fog dissipating in the morning to reveal partly sunny skies with a high of 9C. South winds will once again dampen raptor migration, but hopefully (with all fingers crossed) a few will pay us a visit near the tower. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Chad Cornish (<mail...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/22/25 4:41 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (22 Nov 2025) 324 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 22, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Johannes Postma,
Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
Tomorrow’s weather should bring west winds at 6–14 mph with gusts over
25 mph. The barometer is expected to rise, and temperatures will run
slightly warmer than today. Mostly clear, sunny skies should keep
conditions comfortable. While the mild setup may give us some movement,
today was likely the final major push of the 2025 season.
Weather:
The haze that lingered over the past two days finally lifted, revealing a
clean sweep of blue sky. By late morning, thin veils of cirrus drifted in,
offering excellent call-out points for the high fliers. After a stretch of
unfavorable wind patterns, today brought a welcome break: a soft, diffuse
northerly flow that gradually rotated a full 90 degrees to the west. Wind
speeds never exceeded 10 mph. Though the breeze kept our faces chilled, the
air temperature held steady in the low 40s, feeling relatively mild for
late November. The barometer remained firm just above 30 inches.
Raptor Observations:
The early northerlies sparked a strong Red-tailed Hawk movement. But as the
wind shifted west, the tempo slowed and birds began melting into the
afternoon haze. We finished with two hundred and twenty-nine Red-tails,
many arriving in small kettles. Through the midday hours they were splashed
across the horizon, so widespread it was hard to put binoculars down
without landing on another. Their less conspicuous cousin, the
Red-shouldered Hawk, moved with them; twenty-two passed, including one that
met the ire of our resident Merlin. Additional totals included forty-three
Turkey Vultures, nineteen Sharp-shinned Hawks, five Golden Eagles, two
Cooper’s Hawks, and a single Rough-legged Hawk.
Non-raptor Observations:
Sandhill Cranes and Tundra Swans were on the move. Waterfowl hunters
returning from the lake with Scaup. Ring-billed Gulls squabbled over a
palm-sized largemouth bass. Over five hundred American Crows flew overhead.
Predictions:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Alessandra Kite, Corinne Allsop, Kiah Jasper, Michael St. Pierre, Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Paul for being the official counter today, with much help provided by Mike J., Corrine, Mike S.P., Robin, Kiah, and Alessandra. Bryce also paid a visit to the tower today.
Weather: A crisp and clear start to the count today, and ideal northwest winds. Wind direction would eventually make its' way south however, slowing down the raptor movement at the tower.
Raptor Observations: Red-tailed Hawks once again took the top podium (222), with Turkey Vultures (35), Sharp-shinned (24), Red-Shouldered (21), and Cooper's (11) rounding out the top 5. Golden Eagles hit lucky number 7 today.
Non-raptor Observations: 24 Tundra Swans flew right over the tower to start the day, and ducks on the marsh are still here in big numbers. Evening Grosbeaks are definitely moving south this year, with 11 observed today. The eBird checklist can be found here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S285660960
Predictions: Sunny and warmer, with wind direction predominantly from the west. Hopefully a touch of north wind in the mix will bring more raptors closer to the tower. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Chad Cornish (<mail...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/21/25 3:18 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (21 Nov 2025) 13 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 21, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Michelle Peregord
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
Another day in the coal mines, with similar light availability as in an
actual mine for most of the watch. A dull day, mostly devoid of raptors,
but we received a little prize at the end for our patience. Today’s wind
graph looks like a dance guide sheet for doing the Watutsi, all peaks and
valleys with changes in direction thrown in for good measure. Alternating
between southwest and west, it didn’t have much energy, as evidenced by
our local eagles sitting in their preferred trees for most of the day. The
temperature was a comfortable fifty-one degrees. That means we are on
course to set a record for the least handwarmers used during the month of
November. The barometer ended up lower at the end of the day, finishing
below thirty inches. The clouds did begin to open up a little at the end of
the day, but the views of white cumulus, rather than gray, were relatively
brief. That did seem to start a little movement of raptors, as most of our
count came in the penultimate hour.
Raptor Observations:
It took until the third hour to escape the zero zone. but after that we
were really busy with either one or two birds for the next three hours. We
were overwhelmed with seven birds during the 1400-1500 hour.
One bird came in the final hour but it was a good one. Red-tailed hawks
managed to take the crown today. Six came by at a measured pace. Turkey
vultures are still on the podium with three birds today. Golden eagles, two
handsome subadults, were on the lower step and made our otherwise dull day
a little brighter. A lone northern harrier and one sharpie rounded out the
count.
Non-raptor Observations:
We saw our first flight of snow geese this morning. Nineteen birds were
trying keep a tight Vee formation, but much like getting in the slow line
at the bank, some were switching sides at the end of the lines, making them
difficult to count. Bonaparte’s are in the house, but not too many, and
as far as we can tell, there is no little gull with them. A small flock of
all female hooded mergansers landed out where we could see them in open
water. They usually seem more reclusive. The local gulls, many in number,
were up imitating raptors today, concluding the day with a large gull
tornado, rather than a kettle. Our local merlin tried to fool us into
counting it once more, but we are not going to fall for that again. We also
saw a peregrine that seems to have taken up residence on Celeron Island
that was not counted.
Predictions:
The clouds will break open tonight and allow some of the heat to escape, so
it should be close to freezing overnight. It will rebound to forty-five
degrees during the day tomorrow. The barometer should be climbing, but not
too far over the thirty-inch mark. It is forecast to be mostly sunny, but
we will see whether that includes the edge of the lake where we do
business. It should be an easy wind from the north during the early hours,
backing to a more westerly direction later on. The speed should be around
the five-mph range, give or take a little. This would appear to be our best
shot at getting some birds, as after tomorrow, the winds will be coming
from the south for a few days. Monday and Tuesday may have some rain
interference and the barometer will be falling again.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 13:30:00 Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Chip Ogglesby, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Noel, Mike, Chip and Robin for helping out today, company is always welcome on these quiet days!
Weather: Today was almost a repeat of yesterday weather wise. A dark and gloomy November day with a low cloud layer and poor winds. The temperature started off at 7C, rising to 10C in the afternoon. The wind was light (10kph) out of the Southwest all day, changing to the SSW after noon. Today had higher humidity (nearly 100% all day) and much reduced visibility compared to yesterday at a max of 5km. The barometer fell slightly today, ending near 29.95.
Raptor Observations: Less raptors than yesterday, with an average of 1 or 2 per hour today. In a surprise twist of events, Merlin (3) took the top spot today, followed by Northern Harrier (2) and Cooper's Hawk (2)... that does not happen often! An adult Red-shouldered Hawk in close was a nice pop of colour on a dark day.
Non-raptor Observations: 66 species were observed from the tower today, 1 less than yesterday though unsurprising given the reduced visibility (we could not see birds on the lake very well) and wind direction. As expected with a light West component wind, there was a strong flight of Cedar Waxwing (1,429) and American Goldfinch (1,982), so that gave us some birds to count at least. American Pipit (37), Eastern Bluebird (9) and Purple Finch (12) migrated past in lower numbers. On the marsh all the ducks were flushed at once as a coast guard helicopter flew past, allowing for a closer count than usual (birds hide in hard to see places at the back edges). Over 6,000 ducks were seen in flight, with Gadwall (1,700) and Mallard (2,900 ) being the most abundant. Other highlights today included 2 Fox Sparrows and a late Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The eBird list is available here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S285478644
Predictions: Tomorrow should be a more productive day for raptors, with a mainly sunny sky expected. The wind will be light out of the North, potentially shifting to the South in the afternoon. The strength of the North wind, and how long it remains will determine how good the flight is. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/21/25 5:57 am From: Fred Kaluza <fredkaluza...> Subject: Re: [birders] NYTimes.com: We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
There is an “app” for your phone which you can download for free. It’s called “Project Monarch Science”. Once you install it, it will use the Bluetooth transceiver in your phone as well as the GPS receiver in your phone and will let the researchers know when and where if any tagged Monarchs come within about 50 feet of you. It also plots the last-known locations of any Monarchs with tags on a map within the app.
________________________________
From: Dody Wyman <dody...>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2025 10:35:51 AM
To: birders <birders...>
Subject: [birders] NYTimes.com: We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
This is fascinating.
From The New York Times:
We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
Scientists used tiny new sensors to follow the insects on journeys that take thousands of miles to their winter colonies in Mexico.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
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Date: 11/21/25 5:57 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [birders] NYTimes.com: We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
Dody,
These have been in development for a couple years, and they can also be
attached to hummingbirds. I hope to be able to use these within a couple
years on our Ruby-throats, and also on Rufous Hummingbirds.
Date: 11/20/25 2:31 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (20 Nov 2025) 16 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 20, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Erika Van Kirk,
Johannes Postma, Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
When the Levante wind blows over the Mediterranean, the Rock of Gibraltar
becomes a cloud producing machine. The western side can go for days without
seeing the sun. Today felt like one of those days as we sat in a bowl of
potage gris that seemed to thicken as the day progressed. The wind was a
bit timid and undecided at the start of the day. When it made up its mind,
it chose a generally southeastern direction, growing from a mere zephyr to
nine mph at its peak strength. The long fetch across the lake created
waves, but no whitecaps. Thankfully, we were shielded as it bent further
south. The temperature reached forty-five degrees, a comfortable level for
those of us who have endured much worse during past Novembers. The
barometer is declining, as it will for another day as the clouds remain,
bringing the gloom again.
Raptor Observations:
There were some highlights, although it is hard to use any word containing
“light” on such a dull day. Red-tailed hawks took the gold medal with
seven birds. The real gold was on the mantles of the four golden eagles
that flew by. We usually see these birds at high altitudes, but with the
low cloud ceiling today, they were low and a couple flew fairly close. A
three-way tie for the bronze, with one sharp-shinned, one red-shouldered
hawk, and one merlin. A slow day compared to yesterday, but they can’t
all be good.
Non-raptor Observations:
The tundra swans made a late appearance today, flying in a high Vee and
whooping it up. We also saw a few mute swans whistling by. A small group of
Bonaparte’s gulls spent some time bobbing on the water, with occasional
feeding sorties. A loon was spotted diving out by the Celeron Island jetty.
We had a mixed flock of tree sparrows and juncos visit us today. We heard a
strange Canada goose call this morning. It took us a few minutes to realize
that it was hunters, nearby, trying to call in some geese. It struck us as
futile, since if we knew it was odd, the real geese certainly were not
fooled. Our local bald eagles spent the morning sitting in trees as the
lack of wind was not to their liking. A group of hooded mergansers were
seen landing further up the slip.
Predictions:
Tomorrow has some of the same elements as today. Heavy cloud cover,
possibly with slight breaks later in the day. A falling barometer that
should drop a hair below the thirty-inch mark. The winds will be southwest,
veering to the west as the day progresses. They will have a little more
umph to them at the start of the watch, blowing at seven mph, climbing to
nine, and then dropping a couple mph as it turns west. None of these things
are positive, except that the temperature will rise to fifty-one degrees,
due to the southwest wind. It will be a fairly comfortable boredom that we
have to endure.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 5.5 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman
Visitors: Thanks to Mike, Noel and Robin for helping out with the count today. Bryce from Tecumseh visited us again today.
Weather: Today was another one of those dark and gloomy days on the tower. It was a cool morning, starting at 3C and only rising to 6C by midday. The horizon was shrouded in a dark, misty haze today, reducing visibility and generally creating poor migration conditions. The sky remained overcast all morning, with 5kph wind from the Southeast, shifting South later in the day. Conditions worsened after lunch, with reduced visibility and wind shifting more to the South. The count was ended early today since the flight dried up and the forecast showed no signs of improving.
Raptor Observations: What a change compared to yesterday! Only 31 raptors were observed today, honestly more than expected given the poor conditions. A single flock of Turkey Vultures (14) lifted out of the trees and drifted West mid morning, our most common raptor of the day.
Non-raptor Observations: 67 species were observed from the tower today, less than normal though rather expected considering the conditions. Morning songbird flight was fairly slow, American Goldfinch (782), Cedar Waxwing (314) and Horned Lark (34) were the only species moving in numbers. A single Redpoll flew over with a group of goldfinches, only our second this season. Around the base of the tower sparrows were around in large numbers today, highlighted by Fox Sparrow (3). Great Egrets (3) continue to linger at the back of the marsh. The highlight today was 2 Red-throated Loons flying by on the lake. This species is uncommon on this part of Lake Erie, and today's sighting represents the 4th record for HBMO and 1st since 2013. The loon was the 190th species recorded from the Hawk Tower this season. The eBird list is available here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S285348828
Predictions: Tomorrow will be another cloudy day, but with winds out of the Southwest/West this time and a limited chance of sun midday. Some raptors may be moving, however a large flight is unlikely. These conditions sometimes lead to a large finch flight along the shoreline, so hopefully that pans out to keep us entertained. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
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For the vast bulk of their routes, I’m assuming they will fly at the legal limit which for them I assume is 400 feet above ground level. That will let them fly in straight lines as much as possible and keep noise as low as they can. When they get to a delivery location, they hover at 20 or 30 feet high and the package is lowered on a retractable line. From what I’ve heard, recipients have to agree to create a “clear landing field” which is free of obstructions and clutter and is probably at least 20 feet in diameter or so.
________________________________
From: Mag Tait <magtait1...>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 3:31:11 PM
To: Ann Alvarez <annra.new...>
Cc: Fred Kaluza <fredkaluza...>; birders <birders...>
Subject: Re: [birders] Amazon Drones
If it flies too low, there are going to be dogs leaping in the air and destroying them! It sounds like this is sort of a limited area for now, but I’m guessing it will expand. I’ve done my best to limit ordering from Amazon, but when you have family here and there, it certainly is convenient. One more reason to continue to try to avoid them.
Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 19, 2025, at 3:21 PM, Ann Alvarez <annra.new...> wrote:
Yes! Sounds horrific!
Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 19, 2025, at 8:07 AM, Fred Kaluza <fredkaluza...> wrote:
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Observation start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 15:30:00 Total observation time: 8.25 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Jeremy Bensette, Juliette Herdman, Michael St. Pierre, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Mike J, Noel, Juliette, Robin, Jeremy and Mike S.P for helping out with the count today. We were visited by Bryce from Tecumseh and Lou, Toni and Jim from Windsor.
Weather: Arriving at the tower this morning I was greeted by a most welcome sight, the weather vane pointing towards the Northeast. All month we have been starved for our favoured Northeast winds, but today we finally got a break. For the rest of the day the wind remained out of the NE/NNE at 5-15kph, dying down to almost no wind after 2pm, and slightly shifting East then. The temperature started off at 2C and only went up to 6C later in the day, which felt both warm and cold at times depending on the cloud cover. To start off it was mainly overcast with a layer of blue sky to the Northwest. That blue sky remained far away for at least two hours, as the clouds moved as a snails pace away from us to the Southeast. By late morning it was mostly sunny, with isolated layers of cirrus clouds spread across the sky. Around 2pm the wind shiftly to light Southeast, dropping the temperature as dark clouds began moving in off of the lake, killing the raptor flight for the day and brining the temperature down. The pressure held near 30.25.
Raptor Observations: It was a positively golden day for raptors on the tower today (pun intended), with 727 birds observed! I knew it was going to be a good day when my first bird was a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, cruising South overhead and going right over the lake, just after sunrise. The flight started off fairly slow for the first three hours of the count, then began gradually picking up after 10am. The flightline at that point was high along the shoreline, making viewing a challenge against white cirrus clouds reflecting sunlight into our eyes. In the early afternoon things began to get fairly hectic, with kettles of 20 or more Red-tailed Hawks forming to the East and the flightline getting more stretched out. It was almost nonstop action for the following two hours, until a change in cloud cover and a decrease in wind led to the flight moving inland and dying down. Red-tailed Hawk (486) was by far the most common species today, with Turkey Vulture (72) as a distant 2nd. Red-shouldered Hawk (38), Sharp-shinned Hawk (39), Cooper's Hawk (31) and Bald Eagle (32) were all recorded in strong numbers as well. The Bald Eagle count is particularly noteworthy because it makes it into the top 10 all-time daily totals for the species. The Cooper's Hawk count is also quite impressive, our highest for the season and one of the highest daily counts in recent years. Golden Eagles put on an excellent showing today, with a total of 12 seen... definitely the boost our season numbers needed. The goldens were all quite high and distant today, but we can't complain! 3 Rough-legged Hawks were also nice.
Non-raptor Observations: It was a strong day overall for bird diversity on the tower, with 76 species observed. The morning songbird flight featured both good numbers and a few uncommon species, with highlights including; American Crow (9,077), Horned Lark (276), Eastern Bluebird (15), Cedar Waxwing (316), American Pipit (29), Purple Finch (18), American Goldfinch (1,629), Lapland Longpspur (1) and Eastern Meadowlark (1). After a 9 day absence American White Pelicans made a return, with a flock of 83 flying in from the West, circling the marsh and then leaving again. Lake Erie was rather quiet today besides a Common Loon and 55 Bufflehead. Duck numbers on the marsh remain consistent. eBird list available here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S285230472
Predictions: Tomorrow is meant to be overcast with a slight chance of rain, 7C and winds light from the southest (but also variable winds throughout the day). Given these conditions it is unlikely the flight will concentrate along the shoreline or be as impressive as today, but there may still be some birds in the area that are moving. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/19/25 3:09 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (19 Nov 2025) 445 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 19, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Erika Van Kirk, Jerry Jourdan, Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
Well, it finally worked. We had adopted the Rope-a-Dope strategy from The
Rumble in the Jungle that Ali used against George Foreman, a bigger and
stronger opponent. Foreman tried to deliver too many knockout blows to Ali
before tiring and succumbing to a wilier opponent. Such was our November so
far, but we were slipping the punches and waiting until the tempest passed.
After yesterday, a day of utter futility with zero birds, we rose from the
ashes to reclaim our pride and actually count some meaningful redtail
numbers. The sky was like the residue from a feather-pillow fight; at
first, icy cirrus clouds provided decorative value while hardly shielding
us from the sun’s warmth. As the day progressed, the feathers coalesced
into diaphanous status layers as we went deeper into the rounds. It was
still a varied assortment of high lightly-pigmented cloud variations at the
end of the day, but they were much more effective at blocking the sun. The
temperature reached forty-six degrees. The very mild winds, for once,
favored us. It blew from a northeast direction for most of the day. Towards
the end of the watch, the traditional flip to southeast winds changed the
flight line, also bringing a chill to the air as the wind came off the
lake. The barometer was rising after yesterday’s one-day dip, although it
did decline a little at the end of the watch as heftier clouds are moving
in tomorrow.
Raptor Observations:
Today was moving day for buteos and others. At least today, we were on the
edge of the party, instead of outside, just listening through the door to
the festivities. Red-tails were the stars today, starting early, with a
midday lull, but regaining the momentum near the end of the day, we counted
two hundred and ninety-six. At the end of the day, they were flying bumper
to bumper, almost like broadwings shooting by. Turkey vultures are getting
scarce, but still had a relatively good day with eighty dihedrals counted.
Red-shouldered hawks took the bronze with twenty-six showing up. Bald
eagles and sharpies shared the number eleven, it’s not often that those
two species match counts at our site. The other species of eagle, the
golden variety, shared the number seven with northern harriers. Five
Cooper’s hawks were noted. We had a variety of rough-legged hawks with
one of each morph, one light and one dark.
Non-raptor Observations:
The tundra swans were out in force this morning. Looking like the pelican
flocks we saw in October, hundreds took to the air this morning, possibly
heading up the river, since they were headed north. We did see some loon
activity with one in the water in front of Celeron Island, and a couple
more in flight.
A flight of hooded mergansers raced by in the afternoon, small and fast!
Bonaparte’s came to visit us in the afternoon. A local bald eagle
continued to show off his swimming skills with a fifteen-minute swim
holding on to a large goldfish that he had snagged. He swam a couple of
football fields length with his prize, but our view was obscured and we did
not see the final landing place. He did sit up in a tree to dry off. Fish
fry tonight. We saw some American tree sparrows today for the first time.
The Great blue herons were up in significant numbers taking the airs today.
It’s unusual to see thirty or more flying for long periods of time and
seemingly kettling. The crows were plentiful today with two thousand, and
seventy-one counted.
Predictions:
Feeble winds are forecast for tomorrow. Mostly easterly, but with a touch
of south thrown in for good measure. Any prediction of around three mph,
usually means variable directions and occasional drops to no wind at all.
The barometer will be easing off the throttle and starting a decline
lasting for a few days. Clouds are going to dominate the sky. The
temperature will reach forty-seven, one more degree than today. With very
light winds, it is hard to predict what the birds will do. Multiple flight
lines are possible and hopefully, we will be able to see them.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
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Date: 11/18/25 3:50 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (18 Nov 2025) Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 18, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers:
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating
raptors.
Weather:
Morning snow and sleet forced a two-hour delay to the count, and a second
round of mixed precipitation in the afternoon limited us to just three
hours of observation. The air remained mostly still, offering only the
faintest eastward drift when the wind stirred at all. The barometer wavered
and slipped a few notches as the system moved through. Temperatures crept
from 36°F to 40°F, and with no wind to cut through it, the day felt
milder than the numbers suggested. Ice sprinkled down throughout the
morning, and the sky remained a dull, wintry wash.
Raptor Observations:
No migrants were observed today.
Non-raptor Observations:
Bonaparte’s Gulls worked the slip, dipping and pivoting over the water as
they fed. Dark-eyed Juncos shuffled through the damp grass. The local
juvenile Cooper’s Hawk settled into the maple beside us for a brief
moment. A Bald Eagle perched stubbornly on a riverside snag and refused to
take to the air.
Predictions:
Tomorrow appears more promising. Winds will increase slightly but stay
manageable, holding around 6 mph out of the northeast. Temperatures should
mirror today’s, but with a rising barometer. November has not treated us
kindly so far, but tomorrow may yet bring a better flight.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 09:15:00 Observation end time: 13:30:00 Total observation time: 4.25 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Juliette Herdman, Michael St. Pierre, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman
Visitors: I started off the day on my own on the tower, though later in the morning I was joined by Mike J and Mike St.P, as well as Noel and Juliette. Thanks for keeping me company on this dreary day : )
Weather: The count had a delayed start this morning due to rain/ice pellets coming down during the early morning. After 9am this changed to a light drizzle, so the count was started just in case anything was moving. It was a cold start at 1C, but the very light wind helped things. The wind mainly retained an Easterly component, but it was variable and at times died completely. Lake Erie was as calm as glass today, which would have been ideal for scanning waterfowl if it weren't for the dark and gloomy lighting. The rain petered out after 11am, though there were a few periods of drizzle after that. We ended at 1:30 today due to the lack of raptor flight and more rain moving in from the West.
Raptor Observations: It wouldn't have been a big surprise if 0 raptors were recorded today given the conditions. 6 birds migrated past today though, 2 Cooper's, 1 Sharpie, 1 Merlin, 1 harrier and 1 shoulder. We will take what we can get! No birds were seen after 12:15, making for a quite end to the count.
Non-raptor Observations: 62 species were seen from the tower today, more than expected given the weather. American Goldfinches were moving in strong numbers even before the rain stopped, with a total of 1,105 seen today. Other songbird highlights included Lapland Longspur (4), Snow Bunting (28), Cedar Waxwing (104) and Eastern Bluebird (10). The highlight bird of the day was a Red-necked Grebe, seen floating on the water far out on Lake Erie. This species is a rare migrant on the Western Lake Erie basin, with this bird representing only the 2nd HBMO record and 1st for Essex County this fall. Interestingly, the 1st record of Red-necked Grebe for the tower was almost on this exact date (1 day off), 40 years ago! Great Egrets (4) and Tree Swallows (8) continue to linger around the marsh. Dabbling duck numbers were somewhat reduced today, and it seemed like many of them were floating out on the lake instead of the marsh. For the full eBird list click here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S285088052
Predictions: The conditions for tomorrow look rather promising! Light Northeast wind, high pressure and a clear sky. There should be a good number of raptors moving, though given that the wind is meant to be light, we will have to see how concentrated they are along the shore. It should also be a great day for songbird movement... winter finches are on the mind! ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/18/25 4:29 am From: 'Steve Jerant' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] Haehnle Sanctuary Crane Count 11/17/2025
Total Cranes Roosting: 1,875
See Don Henise’s excellent JAS Blog at:
JacksonAudubon Society - Haehnle Sanctuary Crane Count 11/17/2025 By Don Henise
You can view past postings and historical crane countingdata on
Haehnle web site
JASBlog page
And on JAS or Haehnle FB pages
Regards,
Steve Jerant
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Date: 11/17/25 3:03 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (17 Nov 2025) 102 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 17, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Jerry Jourdan,
Johannes Postma, Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
The wind was a little better behaved today. It did race up to fifteen mph,
emanating from a mostly western direction with a few slight variations
thrown in for good measure. It was enough to keep the birds at arm’s
length, as most were scope birds today, with only a few daring to come
close. The sky was a high-pressure sky with a blue dome with minor
convection clouds low on the perimeter. The temperature peaked at
forty-five degrees, but wind chill took its toll on that figure. The
barometer had some sine wave action going on, rising early, and falling
late. It will do the same tomorrow as some potentially flaky precipitation
may occur.
Raptor Observations:
Red-tails are making an effort to correct the deficit we are seeing this
year. It’s hard to say whether climate change is causing these birds to
“short stop” and not move as far south, or whether we are simply having
a bad November in regards to winds. We did see sixty-five of them today,
sometimes in their familiar kettles with other species. One of those other
species being the red-shouldered hawk, a similar looking bird from long
distance but with different flight habits that help to distinguish it from
the tails. They sent fourteen of their membership south today. Sharp-shins
and turkey vultures shared the bronze today with seven of each counted.
Four northern harriers weaved their way through the vigorous winds, taking
erratic paths as if trying to shake surveillance. The eagles were well
matched today with a pair of both golden and bald eagle. A single
Cooper’s hawk was observed.
Non-raptor Observations:
The sandhill cranes were moving today. We saw a few groups, the largest two
flights numbered twenty and twenty-five birds. Long strings of ducks were
seen in the distance as their migration is in full swing. A Carolina wren
keeps practicing his repertoire for the upcoming recital. Great blue herons
have become frequent flyers in the last couple of weeks. The great egrets
are not as common since the marsh has little water right now. The
ring-bills and herring gulls were up kettling together today, but the
Bonaparte’s were in more sheltered waters. The crows were on the move
early, but only three hundred and eighteen were counted as the movement
fizzled out.
Predictions:
Tomorrow is a little hard to predict. The winds are forecast to be very
low, which usually means variable as far as direction goes. The barometer
will rise in the early hours of the day, but lose almost a tenth of an inch
in a midday dip. There are rain/snow showers in the forecast right now, but
whether they actually show up, or not, is anybody’s guess. Cloud cover
will be complete for most of the day, and it will be cold, only reaching
the upper thirties. There is a chance that the watch may be interrupted by
the precipitation. The low variable winds may not provide much lift for the
migrants so with the negatives appearing to outweigh the positives, as
forecast right now, it should be a low traffic day.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7.75 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Chuck Sharbaugh, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman
Visitors: Thanks to Noel and Mike for helping out with the count this morning. Chuck from Michigan and Luc from Connecticut came by to join the hawkwatch for a few hours today too. I found myself alone on the tower for the last two hours of the count today, not something that happens too often here.
Weather: It was a brisk morning on the tower, with a start temperature of -1C and a slight North component to the wind adding a windchill factor to that. The temperature increased to 6C later in the day, which combined with the sun made it feel a bit toasty on the top platform. The wind started off from the West-Northwest in the morning, then gradually changed to Northwest with a maximum speed of around 20kph. The winds across the larger region were mainly from the West though, which likely hurt our numbers a bit. The sky remained clear blue almost all day, with small patches of fluffy cumulus clouds later in the morning (though not really overhead, which meant more challenging spotting). The barometer held steady at 30.03.
Raptor Observations: It was a solid day for this time in the month for raptors with 169 observed. Nothing crazy, but enough movement to keep us engaged. Red-tailed Hawks (79) led the charge today, followed by Sharp-shinned Hawks (34). The sharpie numbers are quite decent for this late in the season. Small numbers of Cooper's Hawks (9) and Red-shouldered Hawks (12) added some diversity to the flight. A single Golden Eagle was seen just after 11am, circling far to the North.
Non-raptor Observations: It was a very productive day for late season songbird movement today, keeping us busy for the first few hours of the count. American Goldfinches (4,435) had another fantastic day, continuing the trend of a record breaking November for them. Other highlights included Purple Finch (37), Cedar Waxwing (802), Horned Lark (238), American Pipit (42) and Redpoll (1). The Redpoll was the first one recorded at HBMO this season. Lake Erie was relatively quiet today, besides massive number of aythya (most likely scaup) streaming out of the Detriot River area in the morning. On the marsh waterfowl numbers were quite reduced today... Only 5 Mute Swans were seen! Large Numbers of Bonaparte's Gulls flew around the marsh feeding all day, and Great Egrets (2) and Tree Swallows (2) continue to linger. 71 species were observed from the tower today. For the full list click this eBird link - https://ebird.org/checklist/S284975549
Predictions: Tomorrow doesn't look too promsing, the forecast shows a cool, overcast day with a chance of rain and snow all day. It will likely be a shorter count tomorrow, with low chances of raptors. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/16/25 3:11 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (16 Nov 2025) 136 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 16, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Andrew Sturgess
Observers: Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Erika Van Kirk,
Johannes Postma, Michelle Peregord
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
Today was a batten down the hatch’s kind of day with strong northwest
winds providing a challenge to even the best and strongest of fliers.
Traditionally, our most productive days come when a low has passed and a
high-pressure system brings winds from the north. The rising pressure may
trigger the birds to hop on a friendly wind that is going in their
direction. The direction of the winds at a given site depends on your
position relative to the center of the high. Today, we missed it by that
much, as Agent Smart might say. Instead of our favored northeast wind, it
was ninety degrees more westerly. The strength of the winds also plays a
part in the flight lines. Today, it was a mixed bag, some high, some very
low hiding below the trees, some to the north, some to the south. Most of
them expending more energy than they might have wished at this point in
their journey. We have had an odd November, wind- wise, and this was
perhaps the most “traditional” transition from low to high that we have
seen so far. We just missed it by that much. The sky was still in
transition too, with early sunshine giving way to heavy cumulus cloud
cover, before opening up once more to a blue-dominant view. The barometer
was climbing, as expected. The temperature reached forty-five degrees at
its peak, but it was a goose-down day. The more the better.
Raptor Observations:
Given the raging winds, we did a little better than expected today. The
red-tails finally climbed to the top step of the podium with eighty-four,
bloody but unbowed birds, fighting their way through. Turkey vultures are
still on the move, but in smaller congregations less frequently observed.
Thirty-eight made the trek today. Sharp-shins got a free A-ticket ride
today, but only six took advantage. Three northern harriers passed the
test, one a gray ghost that passed nearby. Two “shoulders’ were seen
flying overhead. One bald eagle was counted, although the locals were very
active today in their favorite type of wind, strong. One Cooper’s hawk
flew past, and one golden eagle was also noted.
Non-raptor Observations:
A lot of birds chose to sit out the high winds. The Bonaparte’s were
content to bob on the waves in the slip for extended periods. The other
gulls were up in numbers, most seeming to enjoy the free energy under their
wings. Our resident kingfisher came out today to do a fly-by. Mute swans
were the swan du jour, with small flights in the afternoon. Lots of ducks
are migrating, with strings of them being common, but so far away that we
cannot confidently ID them. We are sure that the scaup have taken
procession of Lake Erie as large numbers are frequently seen taking to the
air. The crows were back today, most hiding behind the tree line, we
counted six hundred and seventy.
Predictions:
The winds should control their temper a little better tomorrow, but still
be carrying some pent-up resentment to our site. Starting at nine mph, then
beefing up to thirteen mph midday before easing off the pedal slightly in
the afternoon, mostly from a west-northwestern direction. A few degrees
further west from our favorite wind. The barometer will continue to climb,
breaking though the thirty-sinch barrier. Temperatures will reach
forty-three degrees, although real-feels will be about seven degrees lower
in the thirties, another goose down day. We are low on red-tails this year
and I suspect they are moving somewhere, but given our wind curse during
November, it may not be past our site, unfortunately. Fingers crossed
though, around heating pads, of course.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Corinne Allsop, Kiah Jasper, Kory Renaud, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: We were happy to have Robin S, Corinne A, and Kory R assist in the Official Count along with visitors Al and Amy from Cleveland. Thanks to everyone for making the day a little easier.
Weather: This morning started off with a cool 4C with clear skies and light winds. By noon it had only warmed up a couple of degrees with winds picking up to 12mph and 80% overcast skies. By the end of the day, wind were steady at 18mph, skies 50% overcast. Winds were out of the NW all day.
Raptor Observations: Raptor movement was slow until about 10:00am when the Red-tail Hawks started to move. The 11 to 12 hour alone showed 75 red-tails. Northern Harriers , Cooper's , Sharpshins, and Merlins made a scattered showing throughout the day
Predictions: Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high of 7C. Winds will be out of the NW all day at 6 -10 kmph. Could be another good day for Red-tails. Maybe other surprises. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Chad Cornish (<mail...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Corinne Allsop, Kory Renaud, Robin Smallwood
Visitors:
We were delighted to have Robin S, Corinne A, and Kory R assist in the
Official Count along with visitors Lou and Tony. Thanks to everyone for
making the day a little easier.
Weather:
The day started with a temperature of 9°C but quickly increased as the
morning went on, ending up at a comfortable 17°C. The sky was mainly
overcast with clouds throughout the day with a general visiblity of 25km.
The wind was very light today from the South (under 11kph), shifting to SE
and SSE briefly before moving back to the South. Not the best conditions
for hawkwatching but Paul and his crew made the best of it. Humidity rose
(75.9 to 85.4%) and the barometric pressure dropped slightly (29.47 to
29.24 in Hg) as the day progressed.
Raptor Observations:
As we started the 3rd week of November, the light South winds did not
guarrantee a great day for raptors. Only 27 raptors flew by the tower on
this humid and cloudy day with the Red-tailed Hawks stealing the show at
13. Regardless of the low numbers they still saw 5 different raptor
species.
Non-raptor Observations:
66 species were recorded from the tower today!
Species observed migrating in good numbers included; American Goldfinch
(733), Purple Finch (77), Horned Lark (39), American Pipit (23), Lapland
Longspur (3), American Pipit (23), Snow Bunting (8), Pine Siskin (7) and
Cedar Waxwing (703).
1 Common Loon was seen today.
On the marsh 6 Great Egrets and 9 Tree Swallows continue to linger into the
month. Mallard, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, American Coot and American
Black Duck are still showing in high numbers.
And finally, the story of the day. It wasn't the 12,000 European Starlings
flying overhead near the end of day, it was the Yellow-headed Blackbird
leading the way! This is the second official recording of it passing
through Holiday Beach CA since the 90's. Great catch Paul and the crew!
For the full eBird list of species seen, click here -
https://ebird.org/checklist/S284654074
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks like a great day for the Hawk Count with partly sunny skies
and a cooler start to the day at 3°C rising to a high of 7°C. In the
morning we should have a steady NW wind of 30 kph with 61 kph gusts.
Humidity will be down to 53% and an improved drop in cloud cover to 41%. As
the day shifts to afternoon the wind will shift to WNW creating a slight
drop in humidity and reduction cloud cover.
========================================================================
Report submitted by (<aldobertucci...>)
Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://hbmo.ca/
Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Corinne Allsop, Kory Renaud, Robin Smallwood
Visitors:
We were delighted to have Robin S, Corinne A, and Kory R assist in the
Official Count along with visitors Lou and Tony. Thanks to everyone for
making the day a little easier.
Weather:
The day started with a temperature of 9°C but quickly increased as the
morning went on, ending up at a comfortable 17°C. The sky was mainly
overcast with clouds throughout the day with a general visiblity of 25km.
The wind was very light today from the South (under 11kph), shifting to SE
and SSE briefly before moving back to the South. Not the best conditions
for hawkwatching but Paul and his crew made the best of it. Humidity rose
(75.9 to 85.4%) and the barometric pressure dropped slightly (29.47 to
29.24 in Hg) as the day progressed.
Raptor Observations:
As we started the 3rd week of November, the light South winds did not
guarrantee a great day for raptors. Only 22 raptors flew by the tower on
this humid and cloudy day with the Red-tailed Hawks stealing the show at
13. Regardless of the low numbers they still saw 5 different raptor
species.
Non-raptor Observations:
66 species were recorded from the tower today!
Species observed migrating in good numbers included; American Goldfinch
(733), Purple Finch (77), Horned Lark (39), American Pipit (23), Lapland
Longspur (3), American Pipit (23), Snow Bunting (8), Pine Siskin (7) and
Cedar Waxwing (703).
1 Common Loon was seen today.
On the marsh 6 Great Egrets and 9 Tree Swallows continue to linger into the
month. Mallard, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, American Coot and American
Black Duck are still showing in high numbers.
And finally, the story of the day. It wasn't the 12,000 European Starlings
flying overhead near the end of day, it was the Yellow-headed Blackbird
leading the way! This is the second official recording of it passing
through Holiday Beach CA since the 90's. Great catch Paul and the crew!
For the full eBird list of species seen, click here -
https://ebird.org/checklist/S284654074
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks like a great day for the Hawk Count with partly sunny skies
and a cooler start to the day at 3°C rising to a high of 7°C. In the
morning we should have a steady NW wind of 30 kph with 61 kph gusts.
Humidity will be down to 53% and an improved drop in cloud cover to 41%. As
the day shifts to afternoon the wind will shift to WNW creating a slight
drop in humidity and reduction cloud cover.
========================================================================
Report submitted by (<aldobertucci...>)
Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/15/25 2:32 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (15 Nov 2025) 1 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 15, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Don Sherwood
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating
raptors.
Weather:
Mist settled over the site this morning, muting the horizon and obscuring
our more distant landmarks. The grass and tables glistened with the
remnants of last night’s rain, and a heavy stratus deck loomed overhead,
threatening to open again at any moment. A southwest wind began to surge
within the first hour and only grew in strength, holding steady around
twenty miles per hour with gusts pushing past thirty. Under those
conditions, hope for meaningful migration was slim. As if to underline the
point, the barometer—already low—continued its downward slide.
Raptor Observations:
Only one Sharp-shinned Hawk made it onto the tally today, slipping through
low and fast to avoid the worst of the wind.
Non-raptor Observations:
The soundtrack of the morning came from Rusty Blackbirds calling from the
snags, and Great Blue Herons were conspicuous throughout the day. A
Peregrine Falcon, perched on Celeron, took exception to one of the herons
and launched a chase that sent the rest scattering. A Merlin cut across the
seawall early, then returned about an hour later sporting a very full crop.
The heavily marked juvenile Red-tailed Hawk—often seen in the company of
a notably pale adult—made two brief showings as well.
Predictions:
Tomorrow promises modest improvement. The barometer is expected to rise,
and temperatures will dip slightly. Winds will swing to the northwest, a
more favorable direction for movement, though their strength—sustained at
fifteen to twenty miles per hour with gusts over thirty—may still be too
forceful to allow for a strong flight.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Date: 11/14/25 2:33 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (14 Nov 2025) 146 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 14, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Johannes Postma,
Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
Apparently, the Weather Gods could only sustain their November cruelty for
so long before their conscience began to play on them. We were granted a
one-day reprieve from the strong adverse winds that have been the main
entrée on the weather menu this month. The next couple of days will be
back in full beast mode. The sky was rather pleasant today with fibrous
cirrus clouds feathering out into sinuous threads of considerable length.
There was a mood-altering period, thankfully brief, when a fog-like
alto-stratus slab passed over, blotting out the sun for thirty minutes or
so. The temperature was a balmy fifty-nine degrees, balmy until you
remember that it is still forty-degrees below your normal body temperature.
The wind was blowing in the five to ten mph range with lulls and direction
changes that seemed to help us when it settled in the southeast and dropped
in strength, allowing the flight line to come closer to the site.
Raptor Observations:
We were beginning to despair that we would not reach our arbitrary goal of
150K. Side-eye glances were exchanged trying to suss out who might be the
Jonah in our midst. The real problem of course, was the steady diet of ill
winds that have been blowing for all of November. Today, in our one-day
reprieve, we finally reached our target. Not by much, mind you, but the
champagne would be flowing tonight, if we had any. Fifty-five vultures led
the pack, winning the gold, but only by a nose. Red-tailed hawks are
closing in with fifty-two counted today. Sharpies stayed on the lower step
of the podium with sixteen of them flapping-and-gliding by. Red-shoulders
also had a good day with fourteen members representing. Four golden eagles
showed us their beautiful markings today. Three northern harriers pumped
through. One Cooper’s hawk and one merlin were also noted.
Non-raptor Observations:
We finally got to see a good flight of tundra swans in their traditional
V-shape and hear them whooping it up. I think the birds are already here in
the southern end of the park, as we have been seeing some small flights
lately. There were many ducks off in the distance in the morning hours as
their migration continues. We did find an odd man out today while
discussing the genetic variations of cross-bred tuxedo/mallard ducks in
front of us. A very small green-winged teal was keeping close company with
a pair of mallards. A single boney was working the slip today, as the
others were not to be seen. A loon was noted bobbing up and down out in the
trough of the lake waves. A pair of mallards were being amorous today, a
little early for that type of action. One hundred and forty crows flew
through today.
Predictions:
I have already mentioned that it was only a one-day reprieve. Tomorrow will
be all bad. A plunging barometer, coupled with a raging southwest wind,
will revive the stingy nature of November so far. Cloud cover should be
nearly complete to further emphasize the gloom. The SW winds should bring
in some warmer air with a projected high of sixty-three degrees. There may
be a slight chance of rain when the barometer bottoms out near 29.39
inches. This should be a one-day low pressure system and next week may hold
some promising days with winds of less strength and from more favorable
directions.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7.75 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Daniel Lee, Juliette Herdman, Michelle Mastellotto, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Daniel, Mike, Noel, Juliette, Robin and Michelle for coming by to help with the count today. We were visited by Paula and also Bryce from Tecumseh (a new & keen visitor to our station!).
Weather: It was one of those warm mid November days that are beloved by people wishing to spend time outdoors before the season begins to change. The temperature started out at 4C but quickly increased as the morning went on, ending up at a balmy 14C in the afternoon. The sky started off mainly overcast with clouds moving off of Lake Erie, but that didn't last long and the blue sky returned by 9:00. The sky remained clear only a hint of cloud cover for the majority of the day, cirrus clouds beginning to move in only during the last hour of the count. The wind was very light today from the South (under 10kph), shifting SE and E breifly before moving back to the South. Ideal conditions to be outside? Yes. Ideal conditions for hawkwatching? Not really, though the brief wind shift did help things a bit. The barometer fell several points today, the start of a major pressure drop that will take place over the next 24 hours.
Raptor Observations: For a mid-November day with South winds, it ended up being a decent day for on the tower. The flightline was far inland to the North and was almost lost in the heat shimmer, making it an eyes-to-the-scope kind of afternoon. 190 individuals were recorded, with Turkey Vulture (80) and Red-tailed Hawk (66) being the most abundant. There was a good flight of Sharp-shinned Hawks for the date, with 28 recorded. 2 Merlin and a lone subadult Golden Eagle were the highlights today.
Non-raptor Observations: 80 species were recorded from the tower today! This November has been fantastic for species diversity, with 110 species seen at the tower since November 1st, and four days with over 80 species. The morning songbird flight was active again today, though slightly reduced compared to yesterday. Species observed migrating in good numbers included; American Goldfinch (1,635), Purple Finch (43), Horned Lark (834), American Pipit (43), Lapland Longspur (8) and Cedar Waxwing (315). On Lake Erie waterfowl were moving a bit closer to shore than they normally do here, mostly scaup (Greater and Lesser), Canvasback and Red-breasted Merganser. A lone Long-tailed Duck seen flying East represents only the 3rd eBird record for HBMO. 2 Horned Grebes and 1 Common Loon were also seen today. On the marsh 8 Great Egrets and 4 Tree Swallows continue to linger into the month. Duck numbers remain fairly consistent, though today there was a slight increase of Green-winged Teal (840) and Ring-necked Duck (710). Large numbers of Rusty Blackbirds continue to linger around the tower. For the full eBird list of species seen, click here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S284455618
Predictions: Tomorrow will be another warm day on the tower, though the wind is meant to be stronger from the Southwest and the sky mainly overcast. Combined with the low pressure this is not a good combination for hawkwatching here, so numbers will likely be reduced.
Sunday looks more promising at the moment. Moderate Northwest winds and cooler temperatures. The sky is forecasteed to be mainly overcast at the moment, but it could still be a quite productive day on the tower! ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Observation start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 15:30:00 Total observation time: 8.25 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Daniel Lee, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Peter Veighey, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: There was a great turnout of volunteers to assist with the count today, and everyone who came got to see at least 1 Golden Eagle. Thanks to Mike, Daniel, Noel, Peter and Robin for helping out. Robyn from Alberta also spent some time with us on the tower again.
Weather: Today was a welcome change from the morning weather we have experienced all week, light West winds, warmer temperatures and a sky devoid of clouds. The sunrise was quite pleasant on the tower, and the lack of offshore winds meant we didn't have that bone-chilling cold wind today. The temperature increased to a balmy 14C by the afternoon, allowing us to shed a layer or two for the first time in a week. The wind remained moderate from the West all day, increasing in strength later in the afternoon. The sky remained clear blue all day, only a few high clouds over the lake in the afternoon. The barometer held steady near 30.09.
Raptor Observations: Similar to yesterday we didn't observe massive numbers of migrating raptors today, but the diversity was good. Turkey Vulture took the top spot at 58, followed by Red-tailed Hawk at 33. 4 Golden Eagles were seen today, all far inland passing by to the North of the marsh. Too far for photos, but the scope views were nice.
Non-raptor Observations: The light West winds and clear sky in the morning meant ideal conditions for some songbird species engaging in morning flight. Highlights included Eastern Bluebird (18), American Robin (326), Cedar Waxwing (726), Lapland Longspur (1), American Pipit (58) and Purple Finch (46). The star of the morning without a doubt though was American Goldfinch. Large groups started passing by just after sunrise, 20-50 birds strong. This movement lasted all morning, with the highest hourly total of nearly 2,000! In the ended *6,682 American Goldfinches were recorded, which represents a new highcount for Canada on eBird! Rusty Blackbirds continue to linger in the forest behind the tower, with 380 recorded today. 2 Eastern Phoebes were seen today and 16 Tree Swallows flew overhead, both late species for the date. On the marsh 7 Great Egrets continue to linger late into the month. Duck numbers remain fairly consistent, though there was a large uptick in Canvasback today (780). 76 species were recorded from the tower. For the full list click the eBird link below - https://ebird.org/checklist/S284327051
Predictions: Tomorrow is meant to be another mild day with light wind from the south and a partly overcast sky. It likely won't be a large raptor day due to the wind, but if it remains light enough some birds should still be moving. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/13/25 2:23 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (13 Nov 2025) 82 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 13, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Johannes Postma
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
Another windy arrow from November’s bottomless quiver of windy days.
Although the temperature was tipped to be above fifty degrees today, it
reached fifty-two, the relentless wind kept it feeling much cooler. We
started with winds in the six-mph zone, it rose quickly to a peak of
seventeen mph. The western wind is one that we can feel the brunt of in our
location, so there was no hiding from it. The sun had an opportunity to
help today, as we saw a few gauzy airplane-contrail cirrus clouds in the
morning, but the temperature aloft must have changed, and at the end of the
watch, the sky above us bore no anomalies in its solid sheet of blue. The
barometer was rising slightly during the day, another roller-coaster dip is
coming though.
Raptor Observations:
Today we had a little more success on a western wind than yesterday’s
evil southwestern wind. Once again, it seemed that when the wind picked up
to its highest speed in the late afternoon hours, the birds gave up and
went elsewhere. Turkey vultures are well off their normal October pace,
but continue to climb to the top step of the podium. They had forty-one
reps today, most in two groups, although a few came as couples. The
red-tails, who have envious eyes on that top step and will, winds willing,
be able to attain it soon, gave it a shot today with twenty-seven members
present and accounted for. “One of these days Alice.” The sharp-shins,
flying differently today in the high winds, came through with six brave
souls. Red-shouldered hawks were right behind with five crescent bearing
birds. Our holy grail birds today were two golden eagles and one
light-morph rough-legged hawk. Bald eagles were plentiful today, but none
were deemed to be migrating.
Non-raptor Observations:
With the high winds blowing, the slip that we sit at seemed awfully quiet
at times. It is duck hunting season, so our usual mallard entourage may be
laying low. The Bonaparte’s gulls are more frequent visitors, but not
there for very long. Tree swallows make an occasional appearance. Our local
kingfisher announced its presence today. The scaup out on Lake Erie
continue to put on impressive displays with astonishing numbers taking to
the air from time to time. The water levels were rising today with the
change in wind direction allowing a return trip from Buffalo. There are
still observations of small flights of cormorants migrating south. The
crows showed up again today with one thousand and eighteen counted.
Predictions:
Good thing: the winds will be less robust tomorrow staying in the single
digits. Bad thing: they will be blowing from the south. We will see which
of those things wins out at the watch tomorrow. The barometer should begin
a decline, which will accelerate on Saturday to a projected 29.43 inches.
That is also a bad thing. More clouds will be present tomorrow. The
temperature should reach fifty-four degrees. A big warm up is coming on
Saturday, but the winds will be strong from the southwest again. November,
continues to be stingy with bountiful winds, but we knew the job was
dangerous when we took it.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Date: 11/12/25 2:03 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (12 Nov 2025) 15 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 12, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
A series of snapshots of the sky, taken today, would make you think we had
a fortnight’s worth of weather in one day. Pleasant looking during early
times, with stationary high altocumulus clouds being the main occupant, a
lower strata of cumulus clouds soon rushed in ranging from Serta sheep to
Darth Vader in color and threat perception. We never got any precipitation
from the squall clouds that blew through, dividing the sky into evil on one
side and good on the other. It was an interesting collage of disorder in
motion. The motion was provoked by an insistent southwest wind that veered
to a more western direction near the end of the day. Starting at a healthy
seventeen mph and peaking at twenty-one, it was not a bountiful wind as far
as raptors go. The temperature hit fifty-degrees today with most of the
wind behind us, so at least it felt more comfortable than the last two
days. The barometer was gradually climbing, as it will for the next couple
of days.
Raptor Observations:
Good ole turkey vultures helped push us out of single digits near the end
of the day. Eleven of them showed up, staying low, like most of the birds
today. The next step on the podium was earned by two golden eagles that
flew by together in the early afternoon. One red-tailed hawk and one bald
eagle completed the count. Given that most of the birds today were hugging
the tree tops due to the turbulent wind, it’s possible that we missed a
few, but a strong southwest wind never produces for our site.
Non-raptor Observations:
At one time, the slip in front of us was completely empty of birds, not a
common sight. We eventually saw some Bonaparte’s gulls getting tossed
around by the wind. A pair of loons were seen bobbing on the lake waves
this morning. We are seeing more flights of tundra swans, although they
were flying low today. Usually, we see them on crisp cold days high aloft,
hearing their calls to alert us to their presence. A peregrine falcon,
which we think is a temporary resident, was very hungry this morning. It
was diving repeatedly just behind the jetty, but no birds took off, and we
think it may have been fishing, as they are known to do. It later moved
over the trees closer to us and made a couple of unsuccessful stoops. As we
watched this bird, we realized that in the same field of view was a bald
eagle diving on a golden eagle. Thank you, peregrine. The ducks out on the
lake are there in significant numbers, resembling starling murmurations at
times. Hurst Marine removed the buoys from the boat launch area today. The
water was low again due to the wind and some outboards were stirring up the
mud again. Tree swallows were observed and a Carolina wren serenaded us.
Predictions:
It looks like the wind will stay in the west for a couple of days. It will
still be fairly robust tomorrow, near ten mph, either a little below, or
above. Friday may be one of those variable direction days as the strength
is forecast near five mph. Temperatures tomorrow should be almost as warm
as today. The barometer will show that a new high is coming in, bringing
sunny skies with no cloud predicted. Hopefully, some of the raptors will
find this headwind a little less onerous than today and decide to work
their way over to our site.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Mike and Robin for helping out with the count today. Robyn from Alberta visited again today, assisting with the count for most of the morning.
Weather: Unlike the previous few days, the wind started out from the Southwest this morning, brining a damp chill off of Lake Erie. The temperature started off above the freezing mark at 3C today, rising to 8C by the afternoon. The wind was gusty from the Southwest all morning, well over 30kph at times. By the early afternoon it shifted to the West and continued to pick up speed. Dark clouds persisted for most of the morning, then after 11:30 the sky began gradually clearing, ending up around 60% cloud cover. The barometer rose slightly during the day. The flightline almost died completely in the afternoon (likely due to the increase of wind), so we ended the count at 2pm today.
Raptor Observations: Only 27 birds were observed today, with multiple hours passing duirng which we saw 1, or even 0 raptors. Despite the low bird total, species diversity was quite high. 10 different raptors were observed, highlighted by an adult Peregrine Falcon, a light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 2 Golden Eagles. One of the goldens passed by fairly close to the North in the morning, it's always nice to get good views of these magnificent raptors.
Non-raptor Observations: The high winds from the Southwest today led to lower totals for all migrating birds. Lake Erie was extremely quiet, with no major activity besides Red-breasted Mergansers. Morning songbird flight was also very reduced, Horned Lark (271), American Goldfinch (178) and Cedar Waxwing (209) were the only species moving in decent numbers. Overhead large flocks of Tundra Swans (252) were moving south, our largest movement of the season so far. American Herring Gulls (259) were moving along the shoreline in good numbers today. Mixed in with them were 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 1 Great Black-black Backed Gull (first of season). 5 gull species from the tower today! Just after we arrived in the morning an American Golden-Plover flew over the tower, quite late for this time of year. On the marsh there were no Great Egrets present for the first day since the count started this fall, and the American White Pelicans seem to have moved on. 30 Tree Swallows continue to linger late into the month, they seem happier with the higher temperature today. A male Common Yellowthroat was seen briefly at base of the tower, another late bird for November. 73 species were observed from the tower today, for the full list click this eBird link - https://ebird.org/checklist/S284181037
Predictions: Tomorrow is meant to be sunny all day, with a high of 8C and lighter wind. The wind is meant to be from the West, losing it's annoying southern component. Hopefully these factors will encourage more birds to move. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Observation start time: 07:30:00
Observation end time: 13:30:00
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood
Visitors:
Thanks to Mike and Robin for helping with the count today. Robyn visited us
from Alberta, joining me for a few hours on the tower.
Weather:
Another cool and blustery day on the tower! The wind teased us with a
slight northern hint (WNW) initially, bringing a cold, winter-like feel
similar to what we experienced yesterday. That was short lived though, soon
the wind shifted to the West, then the Southwest, where it remained for the
rest of the day (gusting to over 30kph). The south component brought a cold
and damp wind off of Lake Erie, the kind of chill that seeps into your
bones. The temperature increased from -3C to +2 during the count, allowing
the snow to begin melting off the tower. It was overcast for the majority
of the day, clearing up to around 60% CC briefly for just over an hour in
the morning. The barometer fell several points today, ending near 29.96.
Raptor Observations:
Considering the poor winds today, I was pleasantly surprised to see a few
raptor migrating. Turkey Vultures (48) took the top spot, with small groups
fighting their way slowly West into the wind. Most of the vultures were on
the far edge of the marsh, dipping below treeline frequently. Highlights
today included a Peregrine Falcon and 2 Golden Eagles, the goldens passing
by within 5 minutes of each other around 11:40. Somehow we recorded more
goldens today than yesterday, when we had nice Northwest winds! After 12:00
the sky grew darker and the wind shifted to the south-southwest and
increased in strength, which seemed to kill what little of a flightline
there was. We stuck it out until 1:40pm, but conditions continued to worsen
so we ended the count early.
I often find it interesting to compare numbers on to nearby Detroit River
Hawkwatch. Today was very similar at both stations, we had 48 Turkey
Vultures, they had 42… We had 9 Red-tailed Hawks, they had 10.
Non-raptor Observations:
Despite being a cold and windy day, we still managed to identify 73 species
from the tower. It will be interesting to see how long these 70+ species
days can last into the month, as more and more species begin leaving our
region. Not many passerines wanted to fight their way into a strong
headwind this morning, so we had a rather reduced morning flight. Cedar
Waxwings (832) were the exception, with flocks moving through all day. 6
Evening Grosbeaks flew past with a flock of waxwings late in the morning,
always a nice highlight here. Tundra Swans (112) and Canvasback (70)
continue to increase, both late season species that often observed
migrating high overhead. Some highlights on the lake included Horned Grebe
(3), Common Loon (8) and an increase of Red-breasted Merganser (900). On
the marsh duck numbers remain strong, with over 4,000 dabbling ducks being
observed daily. Most of the marsh was frozen this morning, so the ducks
were restricted to smaller pockets of open water at the back corners. Great
Egrets (7) and Tree Swallows (20) continue to linger late into the season.
The eBird list can be viewed here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S284055568
Predictions:
Tomorrow will be slightly warmer at (6C), though the wind will still be
quite strong out of the West. Combined with an overcast sky it likely
won’t be a very productive day for raptors on the tower. Thursday is
currently looking like it will be sunny with lighter west winds, so
hopefully we’ll see a few more birds then.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>)
Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/11/25 2:42 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (11 Nov 2025) 56 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 11, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
“If we make it through December, everything's gonna be all right, I know.
It's the coldest time of winter, and I shiver when I see the falling
snow” Merle Haggard’s song of hardship and hope became our theme song
over the last two days as November finally ushered in a taste of winter to
test our resolve. Sinking temperatures, and elevated winds from
nonproductive directions, plus a falling barometer, did indeed make us
question how long is long enough. The sun did peak through for a brief
period, but a gloomy pall descended afterward. It stayed the rest of the
watch. Ten mph winds, from west-southwest, then backing to southwest, grew
by forty percent to seal the deal. The temperature broke the freezing mark
today by three degrees, but the real-feels were ten degrees cooler, perhaps
I should say colder. Challenging days, when there is little hope of
meaningful counts and chilblains are possible.
Raptor Observations:
We did manage to find some travelers today in among the multitude of gulls
and local eagles. Most of the birds were laying low, flying into a headwind
that caused them to stay in the lee of the trees. Forty-two turkey vultures
played hide and seek in the tree tops. We were never quite sure that we
could see all the lower birds. Ten red-tails worked their way through, our
local ones were putting on a kiting show in the afternoon. One was a common
number today as it was shared by a red-shouldered hawk, a sharp-shinned
hawk, a bald eagle and a golden eagle, who also took the low road today.
Unlike their usual dynamic soaring into the stratosphere after they first
give hope to the photographers of a close shot, this one foiled us by
disappearing below the tree tops
Non-raptor Observations:
The Bonaparte’s gulls came into the slip early in the morning. We
continue to seek a little gull, their sometimes-traveling companion. Vast
numbers of scaup are visible from time to time out on the lake as something
puts them up, an eagle, or sometimes a passing ship. We did see another
small flight of tundra swans today. Mute swans are also flying in small
groups. The gulls were very busy today, up in the air migrating back and
forth across the sky and forming big kettles at times. Given the poor
atmospheric air conditions due to lake evaporation, we wasted a fair amount
of time sorting through them is search of raptors. Tree swallows are still
hanging around in small groups. Speaking of hanging around, we hope to have
seen the last of our reluctant osprey, who stayed with us for a few weeks,
but has not been recently seen. Four American crows dared the winds.
Predictions:
Double digit winds, peaking at fifteen mph from the west-southwest, will
lessen our chances tomorrow. The only saving grace is that the winds will
raise the temperature a few degrees into the mid-forties. The barometer
will rise in the early morning hours, continuing throughout the day. Clouds
are forecast to be plentiful, so the day will be very similar to today,
with a little more warmth. Hopefully, a few more birds will join the show,
but we will not have a cast of thousands.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
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Date: 11/10/25 3:23 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (10 Nov 2025) 304 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 10, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Jerry Jourdan,
Johannes Postma
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
Were it not for Gordon Lightfoot’s truly haunting ballad about the wreck
of the Edmund Fitzgerald, today might be just a footnote in Great Lakes
maritime history. It is the fiftieth anniversary of that event that took
twenty-nine lives on a stormy Lake Superior night in 1975. Although the
song is not factually accurate in certain details, it captured the essence
of sailing in one inspired timeless line, “Does anyone know where the
love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours.” RIP
shipmates.
Our day was not entirely without challenges from the weather. The first day
of subfreezing temperatures combined with a northerly wind required some
wardrobe adjustments. The temperature peaked at thirty-degrees, but the
windchill real-feel temperature was in the high teens. Winds rose to
fifteen mph, with some partial lulls to catch its breath again, before
increasing once more. It seemed to back around to a more westerly direction
in the final hour, leaving us with a nearly empty sky. The sky was not
empty of clouds today as cumulus clouds of considerable mass assembled in
the sky above us, nearly blocking the sun, which had warmed us slightly
while it was visible. Towards the end of the day, they lost their sense of
urgency and drifted apart, allowing a higher percentage of cerulean sky to
be seen.
Raptor Observations:
A cold day had visions of golden eagles and rough-legs dancing in our head,
but it was not to be. It was a good wind for birds to travel on, as the
barometer was rising and it came from a direction they like, unfortunately,
it was a few degrees off, for our sites best results. Two hundred and
twelve turkey vultures wandered through, coming on different routes, and in
smallish numbers. We knew that red-tails should be moving today and
seventy-two were counted. Sharp-shins took the bronze with eight birds.
Only four red-shoulders were noted, a little light on the normal ratio of
tails to shoulders that we see. Three bald eagles, and the same number of
harriers were counted. One peregrine falcon was noted. The surprise bird of
the day was a very late to the party broad-winged hawk. Surprise, surprise,
as Gomer used to say.
Non-raptor Observations:
Today was Bonaparte’s day in the slip as about sixty of them spent the
day either fishing, or staying out of the wind, riding the waves. We saw
our first flight of tundra swans today, high aloft, as usual. A pair of
bufflehead ducks flew in for a visit. We can occasionally see huge flights
of scaup taking to the air out on the lake. We saw a couple of flights of
sandhill cranes today. One was only a pair of birds but the other was the
best part of fifteen. A common loon was seen in flight, probably headed up
the river to float down again. Thirteen hundred and seventy-five crows
rowed through.
Predictions:
A similar wind tomorrow and a lot more cloud, as another one-day low
pressure event occurs. The barometer will fall about three tenths of an
inch. Winds should start at twelve mph and rise to sixteen, mostly west,
but developing a southwest flavor as the day wears on. Not a particularly
favorable forecast for our site and I would not expect large numbers of
birds, especially when the wind turns southwest at sixteen mph.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 15:30:00 Total observation time: 8.25 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Noel, Mike and Robin for assisting with the count today. Not many park visitors braved the cold temperatures today.
Weather: We received an early taste of winter today at Holiday Beach. It was one of those scrape the ice off the windshield of the car/frozen doorhandle mornings, with a brisk northern chill in the air. Arriving at the tower at 07:15, I was greeted with the lowest start temperature of the season, -3C with a windchill of -9C. A thin layer of snow covered the ground, as well as the railings and floor of the hawk tower. The small pond behind the tower was frozen this morning, as were isolated corners of the marsh . The wind remained out of the Northwest/WNW for the entire day, ranging from 15-30kph, but dying off slightly in the afternoon. It was a gorgeous morning to be on the tower, with the western side of the marsh lighting up a wonderful golden colour during sunrise, with contrasting dark snow clouds in the background. The sky remained mostly blue throughout the morning, fluffy cumulus clouds beginning to trickle in around 11:30. Towards the end of the count the cloud cover grew thicker, taking away the warm sunlight. The temperature never went above the freezing mark during the day. The barometer attempted to rise slightly during the morning, but returned back to its starting point of 30.06 in the afternoon.
Raptor Observations: 387 migrating raptors were observed today. Not a bad total for the date, though given the conditions I did have hopes for a slightly larger flight. The flightline was also far inland for most of the day, a bit unexpected given the strong north component to the wind. Turkey Vulture took the top spot at 167, followed by Red-tailed Hawk at 125. The vultures won't retain the #1 spot for many more days this season. 1 Golden Eagle was seen midday, a nice adult that gave us good (but distant) scope views. 17 Bald Eagles and 17 Northern Harriers were seen today, including a few grey ghosts. All three falcon species were seen for the first time in a while, a nice treat late in the season. 5 Rough-legged Hawks were seen today, including two lovely dark morphs. One of the dark morphs came close to the tower early in the morning, the highlight of the day.
Non-raptor Observations: Despite the cold temperatures and strong wind, 80 species were observed from the tower today! The morning songbird flight was quite active, with some highlights including; American Crow (3,980), Horned Lark (351), American Robin (1,100), Cedar Waxwing (162), American Pipit (118), American Goldfinch (527),Lapland Longspur (1) and Snow Bunting (38). Tundra Swans have started to move over in larger numbers. with 128 seen today. A group of 13 Sandhill Cranes moving West was our largest of the season. 16 late season Tree Swallows were observed over the marsh, definitely not enjoying the cold weather. Only 1 American White Pelican was observed today, and the Great Egrets have dwindled down to 12. The Common Gallinule was absent for the first day since late October. On the Lake Bufflehead and Canvasback are on the increase, with more being seen each day. Click this link for the full eBird list - https://ebird.org/checklist/S283929592
Predictions: Tomorrow will be marginally warmer, but mainly overcast with wind from the West/Southwest. This will likely lead to much lower raptor numbers at the count, though finch movement could be alright. Currently there is no more North wind in the forecast this week : ( ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
I will be keeping my eyes open here in Hamburg Township. I have had one white throated sparrow hanging out with the juncos. For the past few years, I’ve had one or two Fox sparrows during spring and fall migration.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Nov 9, 2025, at 11:27 AM, Laura Woolley <lewoolle...> wrote:
>
> First one we’ve had in our backyard for years! (2012) It was scratching the ground right next to a white throat. So beautiful. Both of them.
>
> Laura
> Ann Arbor
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> --
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Date: 11/9/25 8:27 am From: Laura Woolley <lewoolle...> Subject: [birders] Fox Sparrow
First one we’ve had in our backyard for years! (2012) It was scratching the ground right next to a white throat. So beautiful. Both of them.
Laura
Ann Arbor
Sent from my iPhone
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Date: 11/8/25 3:10 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (08 Nov 2025) 88 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 08, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Frank Kitakis,
Johannes Postma, Michelle Peregord, Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating
raptors.
Weather:
The count lay smothered beneath a canopy of cloud that stretched from
horizon to horizon. The stratus was textured with deep striations, gray as
a dead man’s ribs. Its cold, empty stare cast a somber mood, daring us to
find raptors within its folds. Silvered veils, curled and scalloped, hinted
at the sun beyond, but the sky never broke. The northern currents blew
gently against our faces, and the wind chill kept the temperature below
forty degrees. The barometer made a feeble attempt to rise but could not
top thirty inches. Although it was cold and the sky mostly vacant, it could
have been worse—it could have been raining.
Raptor Observations:
Although the winds seemed as though they should have provided a highway for
aerial travel, the raptors did not find it as appealing as we had hoped.
Forty-nine Turkey Vultures took gold on the podium today, clinging to the
limelight even into November. With over ninety thousand counted this
season, they’ve had an excellent year. In second place were the
Red-tails—no surprise there—with twenty-three representatives. Six
Northern Harriers came in third, followed by four Bald Eagles, three
Red-shoulders, two Golden Eagles, and one Sharp-shin.
Non-raptor Observations:
Bonaparte’s Gulls and Forster’s Terns joined the usual Ring-bills and
Herring Gulls in front of us. An impressive flight of several hundred
pelicans was strung out in two long lines over Lake Erie. Common Goldeneye,
Red-breasted Merganser, and Common Loon passed overhead—all flying north
toward the river. The new resident Merlin hunted the Metropark marsh before
returning to Gibraltar.
Predictions:
Tomorrow could bring the first snow of the season! More likely, though, it
will be a slushy, wet mess falling from the sky. The forecast currently
calls for precipitation all day, so the count will likely be canceled.
Monday’s winds are expected to blow at fourteen miles per hour out of the
north. Although it will be gusty, we may see a few migrants before the
weather shifts again.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper, Paul Gosselin
Observers: Corinne Allsop, Ian Woodfield, Kiah Jasper, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Paul Gosselin
Visitors: Thanks to Corinne, Ian, Noel and Mike for helping with the count today. Paul was the official counter today, with Kiah covering the first hour of the count and then assisting for the rest of the day. It was meant to be a day off for Kiah, but he has trouble leaving the tower when there is a North wind : )
Weather: One of the first days this month that had a real "November feel" to it. Dark grey skies, light north winds and a chill in the air. The temperature remained steady at 5C for the entire day, with the wind chill making it feel a bit colder. The first few hours of the count we were plagued by dark clouds moving in off the lake, occasionally sprinkling us with a few drops of rain. The sky gradually got lighter later in the day, but still remained very dark and dreary. The wind also died down in the afternoon to a measily 5kph. The pressure remained near 29.78.
Raptor Observations: 176 raptors were observed today. This was less than we were hoping for with a North wind day, though the dark sky and periods of drizzle may have had something to do with that. The wind was also very light, which led to the flight line being far to the north inland. The day started off very promising with a close Golden Eagle at 8am, but then quieted down the next next few hours. Early morning goldens are very rare here, they usually don't start appearing until after 11am. The 12 - 1pm window turned out to be "golden hour" with 7 birds recorded. We ended the day with a total of 11 Golden Eagles, definitely the highlight of a dark and gloomy day! Northern Harriers also moved through in good numbers, with 31 recorded.
Non-raptor Observations: It was a productive day for birding on the tower, with some first of season sightings and strong numbers. The Glossy Ibis made another pass of the marsh just after 7am today, then disappeared to the East and was not seen again. The morning songbird flight was very active, with notable numbers including; American Goldfinch (2,636), Purple Finch (58), American Pipit (794), Horned Lark (355), American Robin (580), Red-winged Blackbird (11,500) , Common Grackle (5,500) Lapland Longspur (4) and Snow Bunting (28). The blackbird flight was the largest we have had so far this season, as these species begins a mass exodus of the region due to the cold weather. On the lake we observer 8 Horned Grebe, 5 Common Loon, 5 Ruddy Duck (first of season) and 4 Common Goldeneye (first of season). A solo White-winged Scoter flew past, our first of 2025 and only the 6th record for HBMO. After remarking on the lack of Tundra Swans, several flocks obliged us with flybys, another first of the fall season. On the marsh duck numbers continue to grow, with thousands of dabbling ducks present every day. 389 American White Pelicans were seen today, more than we've had here for the last two weeks. 80 Tree Swallows were seen flying over the marsh, though despite intense watching no Cave Swallows were seen among them. 80 species were seen from the tower today, full list on eBird - https://ebird.org/checklist/S283574913
Predictions: Tomorrow looks like it might be quite miserable on the tower. Temperatures near the freezing mark, strong North wind and a high chance of rain/snow all day. It is unlikely the count will be conducted all day, and it may even be a write off of a day. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/7/25 4:58 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (07 Nov 2025) 21 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 07, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers:
Visitors: We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather: Rain postponed the start of the watch by two hours, and the sky remained draped in thick overcast until the final thirty minutes of the day. A strong southwest wind, gusting over twenty miles per hour, swept the low clouds northward. The barometer dropped, and the air stayed heavy with humidity, occasionally releasing a faint mist. The one redeeming element of the weather was the mild temperature, which lingered above fifty degrees. With the wind at our backs, it was surprisingly pleasant to sit outside despite the gloomy skies.
Raptor Observations: Few birds dared to push against the relentless headwind today. A kettle of twenty Turkey Vultures passed by close, wobbling in the turbulence before pressing south. A single Sharp-shinned Hawk braved the gusts, skimming low between the trees.
Non-raptor Observations: The resident Bald Eagles seemed to relish the wind, tumbling and playing with one another high above Celeron. The Merlin that has been hunting the area for several days made another appearance, dashing around bird feeders. Meanwhile, geese and ducks crowded into the slip, which remains shallow as strong winds have pushed much of the water over toward the New York shore.
Predictions: Tomorrow shows promise for a good November flight. A moderate northeast breeze of five to nine miles per hour, paired with a rising barometer, could encourage the last lingering vultures in Canada to lift off and inspire a fresh wave of Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks to move south. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 10:30:00 Observation end time: 13:30:00 Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers:
Visitors: The only visitors today were Melanie and Loren from Detroit, who kept me company for part of the morning. I hope they are able to come back on a day with better weather and some goldens!
Weather: The count started late today due to a large band of rain passing west to east during the morning. The main system was done around 10:00am, so the count resumed just after then. It was another gusty day for wind on the tower (gusts of well over 30kph), but the southerly component of the wind made it a bit warmer at least (10C). It was a dark and gloomy day, making the ducks at the far side of the wetland appear as colourless specks. Brief periods of mist and drizzle came and went until around 11:30. The wind remained strong out of the Southwest all day, picking up in the afternoon. The barometer was quite low today, dropping to 29.48.
Raptor Observations: Well, all things considered I saw more raptors than expected today. After the rain passed there was a brief period of Westward movement on the far side of the marsh, 32 Turkey Vultures, 2 Cooper's Hawks and 1 Red-shouldered Hawk. These were likely birds that were roosting nearby last night and decided to try and move on once the rain ended. Somehow that was more than we saw on Tuesday and Wednesday combined. After the initial flurry of activity the flight died completely, besides a solo Sharp-shinned Hawk around noon. Because of the increasing Southwest wind and dark sky, the count was ended early today. The lingering Osprey was also seen today, flying over the marsh to the East.
Non-raptor Observations: It was quiet on all fronts today, though given the weather that was not too surprising. No passerine migration was noted, and Lake Erie was empty except for some Red-breasted Mergansers and Bonaparte's Gulls. On the Marsh 120 American White Pelicans were seen, as well as the lingering Common Gallinule. 28 Tree Swallows were seen hunting over the marsh, lingering well past their normal departure dates. An Eastern Towhee beside the tower was the only somewhat unusual bird. Only 55 species were recorded today, for the eBird list click here - https://ebird.org/checklist/S283358004
Predictions: Overnight tonight the wind will gradually shift from the West to the North, where it is meant to remain for all of tomorrow. Cold weather will be moving in this weekend starting tomorrow, and the daily high will likely only reach 6C. The light North wind and cool temperatures are a setup for a good raptor (and songbird) flight, so it should be a productive day tomorrow! Some weather models are predicting patches of sun throughout the day, while others hint at a low chance of rain. Sunny skies would definitely help our raptor numbers. So far Sunday looks like it will be a very wet and windy day on the tower, with Monday trending that way as well. So if you are looking to get out to Holiday Beach and have a decent chance of seeing some northern species such as Golden Eagle and Rough-legged Hawk, tomorrow would be a good bet : ) ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Visitors: Thanks to Alessandra, Cameron, Noel, Michelle and Robin for helping with the count today. It was nice to have so many observers on the tower for a change! We were visited by two keen school groups brought in by ERCA, who enjoyed watching the pelicans and Bald Eagles.
Weather: Today was a nice relief from the strong West/Southwest wind of the previous three days. The morning started off at a cool 3 degrees C with very light (under 10kph) wind from the Northwest. The calm, cool conditions were excellent for hearing the flight calls of migrating songbirds, which led to higher detections in the morning. Unfortunately for our raptor count today the wind didn't retain a Northerly component, shifting to the WSW around 11:30, then due south during the afternoon. Another issue was the wind throughout the greater Lake Erie region was predominantly from the West, which doesn't funnel birds down towards us. The sky was clear blue all morning (with a gorgeous full moon), then high level cirrus clouds began to appear in the early afternoon. This was followed by a lower layer of darker clouds and an increase of humidity, which certainly didn't help the raptor flight.
Raptor Observations: Compared to the past few days, today it was very active! 132 birds were recorded, with Turkey Vultures taking their rightful spot as the most abundant species (66). 2 Peregrine Falcons and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk were other highlights. The flight line was mainly far inland today, making spotting birds a bit more difficult.
Non-raptor Observations: It was definitely the best day of November for species diversity so far! We recorded a good flight of songbirds in the morning, with strong numbers of the following species; American Crow (1,114), Eastern Bluebird (61), Horned Lark (254), American Pipit (46), Purple Finch (102) and American Goldfinch (675). Highlights were 1 Red-headed Woodpecker (quite late), 2 Snow Bunting (our first of the season), 1 Lapland Longspur and a close flyby 3 Evening Grosbeaks. A male Pine Warbler perched beside the tower briefly, another late species for the date. On the lake 3 Horned Grebes were seen, as well as our first Redhead of the season. On the marsh 150 American White Pelicans were spotted and the Common Gallinule continues to linger. The ibis story continued today. I was losing hope of seeing the bird from November 4th again, but at 07:48 it flew right by the tower! This was a much closer view than the last observation and allowed for photos to be taken (see the checklist). The photos show that the Ibis is a Glossy Ibis, the 3rd record for HBMO and the first since 2013. In North America Glossy Ibis breeds along the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida, and is a vagrant to the Great Lakes region.
86 species were recorded on the tower today, quite a good total for this late in the fall. The list can be viewed at the eBird link below - https://ebird.org/checklist/S283201013
Predictions: Another low pressure system is moving in tomorrow, bringing strong southerly winds and rain. It will likely be a very poor day on the tower. Saturday is looking very good at the moment though, with light north winds all day and sun! ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/6/25 3:21 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (06 Nov 2025) 139 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 06, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Jerry Jourdan
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
The skies cleared after yesterday’s windy debacle. We started with a blue
canvas with the usual sky graffiti. Straight lines of plane contrails,
fern-like icy cirrus clouds and a thin veil of translucent clouds were high
aloft. Gradually, so as not really to be noticed, the lightly colored
stratus clouds came in “on little cat feet”, as Mr. Sandburg might say.
Our sunlight was gone, but so was the haze that had troubled us as the wind
shifted to the southeast and drove the birds to a more northerly flight
path. We had a plethora of wind strengths and directions today. (As long as
we are name dropping, we will give Howard Cosell a nod for that word.) It
did settle in the southeast and was of sufficient strength to generate
whitecaps on the lake. The temperature reached fifty-two degrees, a
temperature we may remember fondly when it turns cold in the coming days.
The barometer started a dive that will bottom out tomorrow with eight
tenths of an inch difference, that is significant. That difference in
pressure will generate winds that will also be significant.
Raptor Observations:
We had a good start to the day, before the wind started shifting. We were
hoping to see a few more turkey vultures before the window of opportunity
closes on them early in November. We did manage to find seventy-seven of
them, mostly low flying birds hiding behind the trees. Buteos seemed to be
on the move, at least in the morning and early afternoon hours. We notched
forty-three red-tails and eight red-shoulders before the stream ran dry.
Six sharpies made the trek. Three bald eagles passed through. A lone merlin
and one northern harrier also made the scene.
Non-raptor Observations:
We did see a lone Forster’s tern in the slip this morning. The water
level has increased since yesterday and the dabblers were gone. A handful
of Bonies made an appearance later in the afternoon. The pelicans emerged
from their undisclosed secure location, where they had taken refuge from
the high winds. The scaup are present in numbers out on the lake as we can
see them take off once in a while.
This morning, about a dozen great blue herons were seen to take off at once
in the park. They like to congregate at this time of year where the waters
are shallow and the fish are easy pickings. One of our local eagles put on
a show at the end of the watch, as it circled a few times and contemplated
a potential catch in the water, very close in front of an appreciative
audience. Crows resumed their migration today with thirteen hundred and
twenty being noted.
Predictions:
I think I will sit this one out. High winds from the southern side of town,
combined with a diving barometer, does not bode well for our hawk watch.
Rain is predicted to fall in the morning hours, so a late start will be
likely. The winds will rise to nearly twenty mph again, so an early end may
also be possible. We are having a rough start to November and tomorrow will
not change that.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Date: 11/5/25 3:26 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (05 Nov 2025) 1 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 05, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
I was surprised today as the count surpassed my wildest expectations. We
had one bird. Given the strong winds coming from a very unfavorable
direction, zero birds would have seemed a more likely outcome. A mass of
low grey stratus clouds was pushed through at high speed, darkening in the
afternoon and taking on a more malign visage. Wind speed did reach the
twenty-mph range, with some significant gusts adding special sauce on top
of our nothing burger. The barometer was dropping into the 29.7” range as
a quick moving low-pressure area rattled our cage. The temperature reached
fifty-nine degrees but the balmy, for November, temperature did not help.
We ended the watch a little early today as there was nothing to be gained
by staying.
Raptor Observations:
A gray ghost was spotted in the morning hours moving into the marsh behind
us. Other than the local eagles, one of whom snatched a goldfish from the
slip, and a local red-tail kiting in the wind, the sky was free of raptors.
Non-raptor Observations:
The only birds that seemed to be enjoying the day were the Canada geese,
who again were dabbling in the unusually shallow waters in the slip. The
lake was migrating to Buffalo, water levels were falling during the watch.
The few boats that did go out left muddy wakes as their props plowed near
the bottom. The gulls seem to have the bait fish schools to themselves now,
with most of the cormorants seemingly having departed. The pelicans were
AWOL today. A common loon was spotted out by the jetty today.
Predictions:
The sound and fury will dissipate overnight, leaving us with winds in the
five-mph range. They are predicted to start in the west and then flip back
to southwest. The barometer should be rebounding in a big way for just one
day. We had a one-day low followed by a one-day high, a roller coaster of a
week, with more wet weather on the way on Friday and Sunday, as the
forecast reads right now. The wind predictions look like a ride at Cedar
Point with peaks and valleys and whoop-de-doo’s. Unfortunately, I don’t
see one of those special days ahead in the near future. Tomorrow may be the
best of a bad lot, with milder winds and mostly sunny skies, as more
turbulent weather lies ahead.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
JacksonAudubon Society - Haehnle Sanctuary Crane Count 11/03/2025 By Don Henise
You can view past postings and historical crane countingdata on
Haehnle web site
JASBlog page
And on JAS or Haehnle FB pages
Regards,Steve Jerant
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Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Noel Herdman
Visitors: Thanks to Noel for helping out with the count for part of today. Noel was the only other person to set foot on the tower today, making it one of the quietest days of the year.
Weather: Today we had a much warmer start than yesterday on the tower at 10C, though the wind still makes things feel a bit colder when you're off ground level. It was a very dark and gloomy day, with the clouds looking like they could have dropped rain on us at several points (they didn't). The wind was stronger than yesterday and had more of a Southerly component, coming from the SW/SSW for the majority of the day. We are currently in an area of low pressure, with the barometer reaching 29.74 during the morning. The wind began gusting over 35kph at 1pm, which combined with the dark clouds led us to call the day early.
Raptor Observations: One would think the only direction to go from a 20 bird day such as yesterday would be up. Today proved that theory wrong and sank much, much lower, with a grand total of 8 migrating raptors observed. Once again Northern Harrier was the most abundant, at 4 birds. 1 juvenile Peregrine Falcon and 1 Merlin were nice though. Late in the morning an Osprey cruised by the tower, which is quite late for the date. This was likely the bird we observed around the marsh on Sunday/Monday.
Non-raptor Observations: Overall things were slower than yesterday on the migration front. This makes sense though, since a Southerly wind is rarely productive here. American Goldfinches were observed migrating in very reduced numbers today, at only 436. Decent numbers of American Robin (130) and Cedar Waxwing (900) were observed today. The main star of the show on the songbird front was Horned Lark, with 1,015 counted migrating West over the marsh. The first week of November is typically the peak time for this species here, and this is the highest count in recent years. On the marsh the ducks were a bit difficult to count due to the poor lighting, so numbers are likely on the low side. Strong numbers of Gadwall (2,340), Green-winged Teal (1,460) and Ring-necked Duck (620) were recorded. 610 Tree Swallows were counted over the marsh today, impressive numbers for this late in the year. Other highlights today included 1 Wilson's Snipe, 1 Horned Grebe, 2 lingering Common Gallinule and 126 American White Pelicans. 72 species were observed from the tower today. For the full list click the eBird link below - https://ebird.org/checklist/S283034615
Predictions: Tomorrow there will be a major switch up in the weather, with high pressure rolling into the region bringing sunshine, cooler temperatures and light Northwest wind (though likely only for the morning). This should mean an uptick in raptors, though it might not be too good of a day if the wind shifts to the South in the afternoon. I have very high hopes for the morning songbird flight though, with the conditions being promising for a good flight. Maybe some northern species such as Evening Grosbeak and Redpoll? ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/5/25 8:32 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: [birders] Bird banding blog updated
Everyone,
I have updated my blog with results and highlights from bird banding during October at the Belle Isle Bird Observatory, Belle Isle, Michigan. To view the blog, use this link: https://mihummingbirdguy.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
If that link doesn't work, go to my blog link ( http://mihummingbirdguy.blogspot.com/) and click on the Bird Banding Blog link at the top of the page.
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Daniel Lee, Michael St. Pierre, Mike Jaber
Visitors: Thanks to Mike J, Mike St.P and Daniel for stopping by to help with the count today.
Weather: Yesterday evening a cold front passed through from the Northwest, which was followed by an easing of the raging westerly winds. This morning was much more pleasant on the tower, with the wind only occasionally gusting to 30kph. The sun was out this morning as well, another improvement over yesterday. What was not an improvement though were the winds, which started from the West and then shifted to Southwest and finally due South. In the afternoon light cloud cover moved off the lake, making for a perfect raptor spotting sky (minus the raptors today). The barometer fell slighly during the day, ending at 30.22.
Raptor Observations: In a bizarre twist, Northern Harrier was the most abundant raptor of the day today. Normally this is only the case on days with fowl weather. Harriers ended at the mighty count of 12, including 3 nice grey ghosts. It was slim pickings other than that, 4 Sharpies, 2 cooper's and 2 Red-tailed Hawks. Not even a single Turkey Vulture was observed today, which may be a first for me during a sunny and warm day here.
Non-raptor Observations: Luckily there were other birds migrating today, another improvement over yesterday. American Goldfinches stole the show all morning, with between 900 and 1,300 recorded every hour from 7am-11am. We ended with a count of 4,848, an all-time high count for HBMO and also Essex County! Surprisingly other finch numbers were comparatively low, only 36 Pine Siskins and 61 Purple Finches. Cedar Waxwings were also observed in large numbers this morning at 1,542. 1,660 Green-winged Teal were counted on the marsh, which is yet another all-time high count for Essex County. Other interesting migrants observed today included 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (late), 1 Blue-headed Vireo (late), 1 Lapland Longspur (first of season), 1 Eastern Meadowlark (3rd record for 2025) and 323 Horned Larks. Out in the marsh 171 American White Pelicans were observed, as well as 320 Tree Swallows and the lingering Common Gallinule. The highlight bird of the day came around 1:30, when a dark ibis was spotted flying along the treeline at the back of the marsh! It landed for close to half an hour, then took off and flew East. Unfortunately due to the distance involved it could not be identified to species (It was Glossy or White Faced). Interestingly enough, HBMO has a record of Glossy Ibis on this exact date in 2013. Both species are quite rare in Ontario, so this was an exciting observation. 70 species were observed from the tower today. For the eBird list click here -https://ebird.org/checklist/S282916092
Predictions: Tomorrow the wind is meant to start from the Southwest, then slowly gain speed and switch to the West by the afternoon. There is also a chance of rain later in the day. Hopes are not high for a productive day, but maybe that ibis will come back for a closer view : ) ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/4/25 2:55 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (04 Nov 2025) 39 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 04, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Johannes Postma
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
“The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins
to weep, somewhere else another stops.” We staged our own production of
Waiting for Godot today, the raptors playing the part of Godot, who, with
few exceptions, did not show. The southwest wind was not as vigorous as
yesterday, but still managed a fifteen-mph peak before subsiding a little
in the afternoon. It is the wind of death for our site, and so it was
today. The winds were driving an interesting mix of altocumulus clouds that
filled in during the day, leaving us with long thin striations that were
aligned with the direction of the wind. The color changed from bright white
to a darker tint as the sun sank lower and its rays were blocked by the
cloud formations behind us. The temperature reached sixty-degrees, but
being comfortable is of little value to us, we want raptors to count. The
barometer started to drop as tomorrow will be another horror show, with
winds approaching twenty-five mph from the same direction. There will be
more tears.
Raptor Observations:
Most of our November counts show thousands of birds, but normally, a lot of
them are turkey vultures at the beginning of the month as they wind down
their migration. This year, they may have finished a little early, although
the November winds have not been kind to us and may not reflect a true
count of migrating vultures. They still retained the crown today, but with
only fourteen birds, nothing to brag about. The red-tails gave them a run
for the money, but fell short with twelve of them noted. Nine sharpies were
in the race, but were the second loser in the end. Two red-shoulders came
by to say Hi. Only one harrier made it through, passing by out over the
lake. One hungry merlin made a brief stop.
Non-raptor Observations:
There was little activity around us for most of the day. We did see some
Forster’s terns, but not for very long. There were a lot of gulls in the
air today, most seemed to be the immature, dark gulls that hawk counters
learn to dislike. They look like raptors till you get the glass on them. At
the end of the day, a huge number of gulls by the Celeron Island jetty took
off, as if spooked by an eagle, and in with the mass of gulls were three
pelicans. Their first appearance in a few days. The crows seemed ready to
have a big day with eight hundred and forty-seven showing up, but most were
in one large group. The water was back in the slip in the morning, but
started to migrate out again in the afternoon, tomorrow’s high winds
should really move it north. Lake Erie is like a bathtub, sloshing water
back and forth, so we see daily variations in the depth.
Predictions:
Do you want the good news first, or the bad news? Trick question, there is
no good news. Mostly southwest winds at sixteen mph to start, climbing to
twenty-three mph at the end, a plummeting barometer, lots of clouds, and a
slight chance of showers means that we will probably curtail the watch
early. The temperature should reach sixty-one but that is little solace to
offset an empty sky.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 14:30:00 Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Mike Jaber
Visitors: Thanks to Mike for helping with the count in the morning. It was nice to meet John and Elke from Toronto and bird with them for part of the morning.
Weather: Today was certainly a gusty one on the tower! The wind barraged us for the entire observation period, gusting over 50kph at times and then dying down to a "low" of around 20-25kph. I made sure all my data sheets were securely locked down, for fear of them flying to a different county. During the morning, rain accompanied the howling wind at times, forcing a retreat to the second level of the tower. Luckily that was short lived though, and by 11:00am we were in the clear. The sky remained dark and overcast for the whole morning, then began gradually clearing up after the last band of rain passed. The afternoon was the complete opposite of the morning, with an almost entirely blue save for some fluffy cumulus clouds. The temperature started off at a chilly 7C, rising to 14C by mid afternoon.
Raptor Observations: It was an extremely quiet day for raptors, though given the wind that didn't come as much of a surprise. In the morning several tettering lines of Turkey Vultures fought their way into the strong headwind, slowing making their way along the shore. The vulture flight was short lived though, and soon we were seeing 1-3 birds per hour... sometimes 0. Just after 12:30 I was scoping to the north when I picked up a Golden Eagle and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk in the same scope view... My two best birds of the day, and all at once! Weird how it goes like that. The only other highlights were singles of Merlin and Peregrine Falcon. The count was ended slightly early today due to lack of birds. A late for the season Osprey was seen hunting over the marsh just after sunrise, likely the bird from the weekend.
Non-raptor Observations: Migration seemed to be at a standstill at our site today. Raptors were barely moving, and neither were passerines or waterbirds on the lake. On the marsh dabbling ducks have greatly increased in numbers since last week, providing me with some much needed birds to count. Green-winged Teal (1,620), Gadwall (1,180) and Mallard (1,800) were particularly abundant. 210 American White Pelicans linger in the marsh, as do the 2 Common Gallinule. Also of note today was a very high number of Rusty Blackbirds (910) in the wet forest behind the tower. 64 species were observed from the tower today, for the full list see the eBird link below: https://ebird.org/checklist/S282776847
In the afternoon a single late-season Monarch flew over the tower.
Predictions: Tomorrow the wind is meant to be much lighter, though still from the west/southwest. It is also meant to be much sunnier tomorrow as well. Hopefully these conditions lead to a slightly higher count. As a sidenote, tomorrow's conditions could be productive for a finch movement along the shore. Given sightings elsewhere in Ontario, Evening Grosbeak and Redoll are on the mind. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/3/25 2:17 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (03 Nov 2025) 25 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 03, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
We sat through two showers to start the watch. One was the conventional
type with precipitation falling in liquid form, the other was a shower of
yellow leaves from the nearby maple tree. The strong southwest winds were
daring only the most determined of birds to reach our site. The rain clouds
passed, leaving a parade of rows of cumulus clouds, but with increasing
percentages of blue sky. The winds were blowing Lake Erie’s waters up to
Buffalo and we were seeing the lowest water levels of the season to date.
Dabbling ducks and geese were able to explore areas that they had not be
able to reach before. No boaters were leaving the dock, where large areas
of bottom of the slip were exposed for the first time this year. The
temperature did reach fifty-eight, but lost about four degrees to wind
chill. The barometer was dropping slightly but it seems that a high is
moving in, so it rebounded slightly later in the day. The moral of the
story is that you can fight Mother Nature, but she will always win.
Raptor Observations:
It was unlikely that we would have a good day today with a very strong wind
that surpassed the twenty-mph mark from a very strongly disliked direction.
It was challenging, even the eagles that we saw were buffeted, resembling
sharpies in strong winds. We saw twenty-one turkey vultures, most of them
early and staying pretty low. Other pickings were slim, with two bald
eagles that did not look local. One harrier that flew very low over the
lake, and one golden eagle, providing the saving grace, came by in the
afternoon.
Non-raptor Observations:
We did see a few Forster’s terns and Bonaparte’s gulls this morning.
Most birds were laying low, and the few that chose to fly were trying to
stay in the lee of the trees. At one time, we did notice eight or nine
great blue herons behind us, close together, as if an eagle had caused some
consternation among them, causing them to lift off. They quickly sought the
calmer sheltered areas and landed. We have several observation points that
have been passed along in the oral history that new visitors may have
trouble comprehending. “Three trees”, for example, has no trees. The
“stacks” were blown up by DTE and no longer exist. Now there is a new
twist, we tell people that the “pumpkin house” was so named, not
because of its color, but because the owner used to place a pumpkin on the
chimney for Halloween. That has just become a little more confusing, since
as of today, the house has no chimney. It was removed, leaving only a hint
of its previous existence by the new shingles that are not as faded as the
rest of the roof.
Predictions:
The strength of the wind should recede tomorrow, but that is from a high
bar, and it will still be substantial at nine to twelve mph. The direction
still leaves much to be desired as it will be mostly west with perhaps a
little southern spice thrown in. Temperatures will nearly reach
sixty-degrees, with increasing cloud cover. The whole week looks a little
challenging with rain and cloudy weather forecast at various times, with
winds that will be mostly in the double-digit range. This time of year is
when we earn our money.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
98% sure that I had one in my backyard for the first time today. I was standing in the doorway with my neighbor who is an experienced birder standing next to me.
I looked down and saw this bird right by my house that then walked out into the yard and eventually went back under the tree where other birds were. We were able to get the binoculars out and get a look, and it sure looked like a gray cheeked passing through on its migration.
Sent from my iPhone
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Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Paul for taking on offical counter duties today, with observer assistance provided by Mike and Robin. Great to see Lou & Toni, Christine H., Amanda, Kate, and Joanne who all visited the tower today.
Weather: The day started off cold and clear, with winds from the northwest. Unfortunately that wind direction wouldn't last long, gradually shifting all the way to southeast. Cloud cover was minimal throughout the day.
Raptor Observations: Due to poor wind direction, raptors were migrating further north today; great effort was required to spot them from the tower. Turkey Vultures led the pack (140), followed by Red-tailed Hawks (37). Four Golden Eagles made an appearance, as did a late-migrating Osprey. The closest raptor of the day proved to be an adult Red-shoulderd Hawk that flew over during the last hour of the count.
Non-raptor Observations: Large numbers of waterfowl on the marsh today; Cedar Waxwings flew over in good numbers (770), and blackbird species numbered 1780. The eBird report can be found here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S282638925
Predictions: Cloudy and a touch warmer to begin the count tomorrow; SW winds won't make it any easier than today however. A 40% chance of rain later in the morning, becoming sunny in the afternoon. Let's hope for more Golden Eagles and Rough-legged Hawks. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Chad Cornish (<mail...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/2/25 3:08 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (02 Nov 2025) 55 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 02, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Andrew Sturgess
Observers: Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Michelle Peregord,
Natalie Cypher
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
This is the day that frightens me more than all the shenanigans of All
Hallows’ Eve that occurred on the last day of October. Your brain at the
end of the day says “Wait, What? It’s dark already?” For those with
Seasonal Affective Disorder, it is a kickstart into a season of lethargy
and depression. That is a different type of depression than what we felt at
the end of the watch today, as the winds did us dirty again. It drove the
birds into the mists of the northern sky, invisible to us. The wind ended
the day’s last hours coming from a southerly direction, with variations
that were challenging for the wind turbines to keep up with. Since the wind
was mostly blocked from our location, it was a pleasantly warm day. With
the temperature reaching fifty-five degrees and a cloud-free sky for the
most part, it was a beautiful fall day, unless you were seeking raptors, as
we were.
Raptor Observations:
Perhaps it was a day of quality rather than quantity. We are close to one
hundred and fifty thousand birds this season, and perhaps we wanted that a
little too much. Patience is a virtue, dammit! We decided to award all the
birds Participation T-shirts today since we had such a feeble turnout. Only
twenty-eight vultures were noted. Red-tailed hawks, a little more common
before the wind shifted, had eleven willing to testify. The sharpies are
past their peak season, but a few are still moving. Five showed up today.
Four northern harriers flew by, one close enough for decent photos. Three
was a number shared by both red-shouldered hawks and golden eagles. That
was the quality aspect of the day, goldens are such a magnificent bird that
they ease the pain of seeing not much else. We counted one bald eagle to
finish the tally.
Non-raptor Observations:
We did have some Bonaparte’s gulls and Forster’s terns come and visit
us today. After the surface vegetation dies off, it opens up more hunting
grounds for them. A Carolina wren provided the soundtrack for today’s
watch. Winter wrens have been reported nearby. The water levels continue to
be low on the lake and the marshes in the park. After a lull, the past
couple of days, the crows reappeared with sixteen hundred and eighty
representatives.
Predictions:
Ruh Roh, as Astro from the Jetsons used to say. Our wind situation seems to
worsen tomorrow. Winds that will increase from fifteen to nineteen mph from
a southwest direction would seem to seal our fate tomorrow. The barometer
will be falling slightly. Despite the strong winds from the southwest, the
temperature will be about the same tomorrow. Morning clouds should give way
to afternoon sun. Since we are usually shielded from the wind from that
direction, it should be a comfortable day, albeit, without birds. November
can be a hit or miss month, depending on the day’s conditions. We may
have a few misses coming up.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Paul Gosselin
Observers: Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Paul for being the official counter today, with much help provided by Mike and Robin. No visitors came to the tower today.
Weather: A cool start to the day with winds out of the west. Sunny to begin with before heavy clouds set in. The sun did make another appearance in the afternoon, with the winds shifting south.
Raptor Observations: A lack of north-component winds today created a less than ideal day for raptor movement; many of the raptors were spotted a good distance to the north. One Golden Eagle and two light-morph Rough-legged Hawks were the highlights of the day.
Non-raptor Observations: Over 200 Pelicans on the marsh, massive rafts of ducks, and a good number (189) of Purple Finch flew over the tower today. Other highlights included 2500 Tree Swallows over the marsh, and a massive murmuration (6000) of European Starlings over the point. The eBird list can be found here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S282409017
Predictions: Another cool day with a mix of sun/cloud and SW winds. Not what we like at Holiday Beach, but hopefully enough raptors will decide to fly close enough to be counted. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Chad Cornish (<mail...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 11/1/25 2:46 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (01 Nov 2025) 181 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 01, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Johannes Postma, Michelle Peregord
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
A curious day today, winds did their normal elevations and falls, from
directions that varied from south-southwest to eventually west, then
finally turning to northwest. We were confused, and so were the birds
apparently. The skies varied, but for a good deal of afternoon we had a”
View of Toledo” sky off to our left. Dark and ominous, we had a lot of
time to admire its mix of black and blue clouds, often pondering how such
artistic formations that defy description come to be created. There was a
brief period where one cloud had a black-rain tail, but most of the
perceived threat dissipated later in the afternoon. The barometer was
rising, yet we still seem to be in the influence zone of the low that just
passed. The temperatures reached fifty-two, but being sheltered, for the
most part, by the windbreak behind us, it felt curiously warm. We have been
leading with our chin into the wind lately, so it was a nice break. We
didn’t have a lot of birds to count, but it was a comfortable day spent
with good friends.
Raptor Observations:
Turkey vultures seem to be winding down, but I’m not sure this was a good
day to judge them, by since nothing else was really moving. We did manage
to count one hundred and thirty-five birds, most in a couple of kettles,
the rest in very small streams. Red-tailed hawks were kinda moving, this is
their season, but we need a good wind for them to really show up. We did
see thirty of them today. Many of them up in the stratosphere, late in the
day. Good ole sharpies are still fluttering by, only seven of them made the
clicker though. Five red-shouldered hawks flew by, three of them seemingly
on a tour together. Two bald eagles, moving with the turkey vultures,
received their participation awards today. One northern harrier showed up.
Non-raptor Observations:
The marshes are fairly low on water lately, so we are seeing more great
egrets in the slip where the watch is located. Great blue herons were up
this morning, with six of them being noted at the same time flying over
Celeron Island. Pelicans were nowhere to be seen today. What was to be seen
was the buildup of ducks out on Lake Erie. It is one of the largest
gathering places for scaup in the country, and we could see a lot of ducks
flying back and forth, albeit at a good distance from us. Our local pairs
of bald eagles earned their frequent flyer miles today as they enjoyed the
winds aloft. Forster’s terns were noted in the morning hours.
Predictions:
A wind that is predicted to grow from a southwest direction from three mph
to eleven, does not get the pulse racing. The barometer should continue to
rise. The level of cloud cover should diminish. The temperature should
reflect the wind coming from the south and rise by about three degrees
tomorrow. The big fly in our soup is the direction and strength of the
wind, southwest winds are usually a killer wind for us. Of course, I hope
for the best, but have to plan for the worst.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Date: 11/1/25 7:34 am From: Lisa Lava-Kellar <lisalk...> Subject: Re: [birders] Pileated, Mon., 10/27/25 about 1:30 pm (No Halloween prank)
Thanks for your comments. It IS a treat to see them.
On Sat, Nov 1, 2025 at 10:17 AM Susan Falcone <sfalcone...> wrote:
> I grew up on Pontiac Trail near Barton and spent so much of my childhood
> hiking in the woods along the Huron...it was not at all uncommon to see a
> pileated woodpecker then and still a treat to see one now...
>
> --------------------------------------------
> Susan Falcone
> Falcone Studio/Studies from Nature
> Ann Arbor MI 48105
> studio (734) 995-1681
> <sfalcone...>
> --------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 31, 2025, at 7:32 PM, Lisa Lava-Kellar <lisalk...> wrote:
>
> Facing north at the red light on Parkland Plaza at Jackson Rd.,I just
> happened to gaze up at the utility pole. A pileated WP bobbed back and
> forth in front of and behind the pole! I pulled around the plaza, figuring
> that if I got hit, I had insurance. I watched it for several minutes. It
> stayed on the north side of the pole, pecking away.
>
> I love these serendipitous surprises!
>
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAKTXQU_H4YrCZcH%2BUwH2RE%<3DObFWjPy3CFskCAivVnOJ2ufJydA...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAKTXQU_H4YrCZcH%2BUwH2RE%<3DObFWjPy3CFskCAivVnOJ2ufJydA...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
>
>
Date: 11/1/25 7:17 am From: Susan Falcone <sfalcone...> Subject: Re: [birders] Pileated, Mon., 10/27/25 about 1:30 pm (No Halloween prank)
I grew up on Pontiac Trail near Barton and spent so much of my childhood hiking in the woods along the Huron...it was not at all uncommon to see a pileated woodpecker then and still a treat to see one now...
--------------------------------------------
Susan Falcone
Falcone Studio/Studies from Nature
Ann Arbor MI 48105
studio (734) 995-1681
<sfalcone...>
--------------------------------------------
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Date: 11/1/25 1:25 am From: Fred Kaluza <fredkaluza...> Subject: Re: [birders] Haehnle Sanctuary & USFWS Crane Count 10/27/2025
Had a group of 28 Sandhills overhead on Wednesday afternoon around 3 PM. Local winds-aloft were strong and from the NE. They were maybe 2000 feet up and all was going well but, for some reason the group stopped their SW progress and began vocalizing more loudly. Perhaps they were looking down? Anyway, they made a 180 degree turn as a flock and for five seconds, their NE movement (now) was halted. They maintained altitude but had reached zero ground speed and were just flapping motionless against the backdrop of clear sky. I think there was a change of leaders at that point and the whole group then continued turning another 180 degrees and resumed their SW motion once again. It was if they were taking note of landmarks on the ground below and comparing their location to mental maps from previous journeys. Beautiful birds to see and hear with gleaming white wings and bodies as seen from below against that cobalt-blue vault of sky.
________________________________
From: 'Steve Jerant' via Birders <birders...>
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2025 9:09:03 AM
To: <jax-birds...> <jax-birds...>; <birders...> <birders...>
Subject: [birders] Haehnle Sanctuary & USFWS Crane Count 10/27/2025
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Date: 10/31/25 4:48 pm From: Dody Wyman <dody...> Subject: Re: [birders] Pileated, Mon., 10/27/25 about 1:30 pm (No Halloween prank)
Oooh La La - yes indeed these little moments can totally make our day. Happy for you!
On Oct 31, 2025, at 7:32 PM, Lisa Lava-Kellar <lisalk...> wrote:
Facing north at the red light on Parkland Plaza at Jackson Rd.,I just happened to gaze up at the utility pole. A pileated WP bobbed back and forth in front of and behind the pole! I pulled around the plaza, figuring that if I got hit, I had insurance. I watched it for several minutes. It stayed on the north side of the pole, pecking away.
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Date: 10/31/25 4:33 pm From: Lisa Lava-Kellar <lisalk...> Subject: [birders] Pileated, Mon., 10/27/25 about 1:30 pm (No Halloween prank)
Facing north at the red light on Parkland Plaza at Jackson Rd.,I just happened to gaze up at the utility pole. A pileated WP bobbed back and forth in front of and behind the pole! I pulled around the plaza, figuring that if I got hit, I had insurance. I watched it for several minutes. It stayed on the north side of the pole, pecking away.
Date: 10/31/25 3:27 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (31 Oct 2025) 391 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 31, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Jerry Jourdan, Johannes Postma,
Rosemary Brady
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
The day began with a brisk westerly breeze that gathered strength as the
hours passed. By midday, gusts reached 25 mph, strong enough to send hats
flying and test our grip on the datasheets, though they only escaped once
(a small victory, all things considered). The barometer inched upward but
stalled at 29.74”, making little progress beyond that point. Overhead, a
partly cloudy sky offered both texture and reference points: cirrus,
cumulus, and stratus clouds mingled together, each taking a turn on the
stage.
Raptor Observations:
Nearly three hours passed before the first migrant appeared, but the brief
surge of activity that followed made the wait worthwhile. The momentum,
however, faded by 2 p.m. as the strengthening winds scoured the sky clean
of movement. Turkey Vultures once again stole the show, surpassing triple
digits with three hundred and seven counted. Their migration window is
beginning to close, though we can still expect a few hundred more into
November. Red-tailed Hawks are starting to take the spotlight, with
sixty-four tallied today. Their major flight has yet to unfold, but that
time is fast approaching. Rounding out the day’s diversity were eight
Red-shouldered Hawks, six Sharp-shinned Hawks, two Northern Harriers, two
Peregrine Falcons, one Merlin, and one Golden Eagle. The latter arrived
just two minutes before closing, providing a thrilling finale to the day.
Non-raptor Observations:
A variety of waterfowl dabbled near the lotus beds, while gulls, among them
a flock of Bonaparte’s, swept and foraged over the river. Dark-eyed
Juncos have begun to appear beneath our maple tree, and Winter Wrens have
been heard from the marsh. Fifty-five American Crows were observed
migrating in loose formation.
Predictions:
Tomorrow’s winds are expected to ease, likely staying below 10 mph.
Though they’ll remain westerly, the calmer conditions should favor
migration if the velocity holds steady. The barometer is forecast to
continue climbing, and the day should bring beautiful, partly cloudy skies,
a promising setup for tomorrow’s watch.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 14:15:00 Total observation time: 7.25 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Alessandra Kite, Daniel Lee, Michelle Mastellotto, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman
Visitors: Thanks to Alessandra, Noel, Daniel, Mike and Michelle for stopping in to help out with the count today. Noel and Daniel both brought hot chocolate today, which is always welcomed by the hawk counter.
Weather: Today was a bit windy up on the tower, with a westerly wind gusting over 30kph during some points of the day. The wind shifted to the WSW a few times and briefly gained a northerly component late in the morning, though that didn't last for long. The temperature started at 5C and increased to 12C by the afternoon, though it often felt colder with the windchill. The sky was mainly overcast today, clearing up for a brief period between 11:30am and 1:30pm. That led to an increase of raptors, but before 2pm dark clouds rolled in and shut things down. The pressure remained near 29.74. The count was ended 45 minutes early today because only 3 raptors were seen between 2-3pm and the condidtions were not improving.
Raptor Observations: Despite the west wind it turned out to be a decent day for raptor migration, with just shy of 300 birds recorded. Turkey Vultures took the top spot with 160, followed by Red-tailed Hawk at 68. Northern Harriers trickled by throughout the day, with a total of 14 seen. Highlights today included a Rough-legged Hawk late in the day, 2 Merlin and 1 Peregrine Falcon. The flight line was mostly far inland today, making spotting birds a bit more of a challenge.
Non-raptor Observations: Today was fantastic for morning songbird flight, which kept us entrained for the first few hours of the watch. Often these West wind days lead to strong numbers of certain species including finches and waxwings, and that was certainly the case today. Highlights of the morning included our largest Cedar Waxwing flight of the season (1,832), as well as strong numbers of Purple Finch (166), American Goldfinch (762) and Pine Siskin (58). American Robins made their first large push of the season, with 871 recorded. The highlight bird of today was a male Evening Grosbeak, which flew west overhead around 12:30. This species is an irruptive migrant and doesn't leave the boreal forest every year, this was the first sighting at the hawk tower since 2022. Diving ducks have begun to arrive on Lake Erie in large numbers, with at least 6,000 Aythya sp. (scaup or Redhead) passing by today. Unfortunately they were much too far out to identify to species. Several groups of Canvasback flew over the tower in the morning, our first ones of the season. Large numbers of American White Pelicans were seen today on the marsh, with a maximum of 185 seen in the afternoon. 70 species were observed from the tower today, for the eBird list click the link below: https://ebird.org/checklist/S282217876
This October 141 species were seen from the tower, you can view the HBMO trip report on this eBird link - https://ebird.org/tripreport/426665
Predictions: Tomorrow is meant to be a cooler, overcast day with a daily high of 10C. There is a chance for the sun to come out midday, which could encourage some raptors to move. The wind is meant to be light out of the West, which isn't ideal for our site, though some birds should still be moving (they may just be further inland, like they were today). ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 10/30/25 5:12 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (30 Oct 2025) 192 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 30, 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Johannes Postma
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site as we are eager to share the joys of hawk
watching with one and all. Although there may be times in which we are all
very busy and need alone-time to concentrate, those are the times that are
most enjoyable for visitors as the skies are filled with migrating raptors.
Weather:
The rain delayed the count by four hours today. The consistent smattering
kept both the Raptors and the counters seeking shelter. The temperature
hovered just below 50 all day, but it is often observed that the
temperature seems to be 10 degrees warmer in the parking lot than at the
water's edge. This was true today and led us to sit back with our cars to
buffer the wind and occasional afternoon drizzle. Strong northern winds led
the clouds to race south, but they never broke; not a hint of blue was
seen. The barometer completed its descent, falling steeply throughout the
day, reaching its lowest point before it begins its ascent tomorrow.
Raptor Observations:
An initial group of forty-six Turkey Vulutres broke the silence of the day,
clocking in just before noon. They were succeeded by a surprising diversity
of species: Merlin, Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Harrier,
Red-shouldered Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk; all but red-tails, with four
counted, had a single representative. An additional vulture kettle and some
singles brought their total to one hundred and eighty-three. With such a
significant rain delay, we were pleased with the numbers and species seen.
All the migrants were pushed low below the treetops, making for excellent
viewing as they raced across with a tailwind.
Non-raptor Observations:
Very few other birds (or humans) were seen. Two local balds made
appearances, an adult and a juvenile. One of the Osprey was noted in its
favorite fishing spot. A few gulls were foraging in the river. Three hardy
fisherman tried their luck but left quickly, seeming disappointed.
Predictions:
Tomorrow has the potential to be the best of a bad week, but that's not
saying much. With the rain having passed, we are left with a sharply rising
barometer; however, the moderate breeze from west-north-west may be
discouraging to migrants.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Jerry Jourdan (<jerry.jourdan...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 08:45:00 Total observation time: 1.75 hours
Official Counter: Kiah Jasper
Observers: Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman
Visitors: Thanks to Noel and Mike for coming out to keep me company in the miserable weather this morning, and an extra thanks to Noel for bringing hot chocolate for the hawk counter : )
Weather: Today was forecasted to be a wet and windy day, and sure enough that's what it was! When I arrived at the tower it was still fairly dark at 8am due to the heavy cloud cover and rain was hammering down on my car windshield. The temperature remained near 7C for the whole observation period, so at least it was warmer than previous days. The radar showed the possibility of the rain letting up later in the morning, so we decided to wait until 9:30 to see what happened. Unfortunately the weather continued to deteriorate though, so we called it quits at 9:45 since the rain had increased in ferocity and the forecast for the rest of the day remained poor.
Raptor Observations: Two Northern Harriers were seen briefly around 8:30, but they decided not to cross the marsh and headed back to the east. Harriers are the one raptor that often braves the rain and continues to fly even on these poor weather days. No other raptors were observed today.
Non-raptor Observations: There was not migration to speak of for non raptors either, making for a rather dule morning on the tower. 2 Common Loons drifted just offshore on Lake Erie, and on the marsh 80 American White Pelicans and 2 Common Gallinules continue to be seen. Only 41 species were observed from the tower today, for the full list see the eBird checklist below. https://ebird.org/checklist/S282053930
Predictions: Tomorrow should be a chilly day on the tower, feeling only like 2C in the morning. The sky should be clear of rain though, starting off cloudy with the possibility of some sun later in the day. The wind will be strong out of the west, with a small chance of a north component. There should be some vultures and perhaps buteos moving, though the number will really depend on if we can get a northwest wind or not. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kiah Jasper (<kiahbirder...>) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
Date: 10/30/25 6:09 am From: 'Steve Jerant' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] Haehnle Sanctuary & USFWS Crane Count 10/27/2025
Haehnle Sanctuary Crane Count 10/27/2025
Total Cranes Roosting: 289
See the JAS Blog and other USFWS local counts at:
JacksonAudubon Society - Haehnle Sanctuary & 2025 USFWS Crane Count 10/27/2025 ByGary Siegrist
You can view past postings and historical crane countingdata on
Haehnle web site
JASBlog page
And on JAS or Haehnle FB pages
Regards,Steve Jerant
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