Date: 10/13/25 3:24 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (13 Oct 2025) 2464 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 13, 2025
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:30:00
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Jerry Jourdan, Mark Hainen,
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:
And, they’re off! We broke late from the gate today with a pair of bagels
in the first two hours. It didn’t look good as we had a specific goal in
mind. The peaceful skies did look good. Delicate wind-swept cirrus clouds
resembled brush strokes left by Jack Frost on a winter window pane. They
had cloud company, with cotton-ball cumulus clouds of varying intensity on
a lower floor. Since we had no birds to count it was easy to contemplate
nature’s artistry on display on the bright blue background above our
heads. The winds were from a favorable direction, north-northeast, but were
mere zephyrs, with little motivating force. Around noon, the winds died
completely in order to complete a crew change, and they returned from the
east-northeast direction, although that was not consistently true as they
wavered from time to time. Temperatures reached seventy-two degrees, and
with weak cooling winds, it was a comfortable day for all. The barometer
rose a little, but it was nothing of real consequence.
Raptor Observations:
The goal we had in mind today was to break the 100K mark for the season,
and by golly, we did it. As I mentioned, it did not seem promising in the
first two hours, but eventually the turkey vultures did begin to move, and
they brought along a few friends. We ended the day with twenty-four hundred
turkey vultures. Their kettles seem to be a little smaller now, but we are
well into this high-pressure zone and diminishing returns are the norm.
Red-tailed hawks were not a close second, but they did add twenty-three
birds to the mix. Sixteen sharp-shins did their part on this momentous day.
Red-shouldered hawks, all juveniles so far, are becoming more common, eight
showed up today. Cooper’s hawks also are increasing in numbers, with
seven tallied. One late broad-winged hawk was noted today. Two northern
harriers passed through. Four bald eagles were noted, although our locals
were up cruising most of the day. The falcon count was low, with one
kestrel and two merlins. One of the merlins secured a meal in our
binoculars as a flock of blue jays foolishly passed close by. We later saw
another one dive on an eagle, so they have no fear and will fight above
their weight class.
Non-raptor Observations:
The first odd sight of the day was a tree swallow in hot pursuit of a
killdeer. This was a twisting and turning affair that went across the slip,
around the mulberry bush, and back, lasting for much longer than we
expected. We have seen swallows take a run at sharp-shins occasionally,
when they are soaring in the same space, but nothing like this. The
pelicans continue to spend a lot of time in the air in various formations,
some of them numbering in the hundreds. Not sure what has changed with
them, but we see them much more frequently and in greater numbers. Rusty
blackbirds announced their presence, in the nearby maple tree, with their
distinctive calls. Also, calling were golden-crowned kinglets, photographed
by Mark. The blue jays are wrapping it up, with four hundred and fifty-one
being counted, but we had to subtract one since it was eaten. Another four
inpatient crows were counted, tired of waiting in the wings for the blue
jays to finish. Monarchs are still out there with seven counted today.
Predictions:
I would expect a slow start tomorrow as the winds look very light again.
Around noon, they may pick up above five mph from the north. This should
help the count. Temperatures are expected to remain the same, at
seventy-two degrees. The barometer will do the same. Partly cloudy skies
are predicted. We have two more days of gentle northerly winds before the
winds go southwest for several days. Rain is in the weekend forecast but
that may help to allow the birds to build up their numbers for a big day
when high pressure returns.
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Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
