Date: 10/14/25 5:47 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (14 Oct 2025) 3049 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 14, 2025
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Jo Patterson
Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood,
Johannes Postma, Mark Hainen, 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 under a hazy blue sky. The sun’s intense glare off the lake
made looking east nearly impossible for the first three hours of the watch.
Haze obscured any view into Canada, forcing us to scour the horizon and
strain our eyes for vultures emerging from the “haze portal.” Wind out
of the north had us expecting a decent flight, though patience was required
as it didn’t reach ideal speeds until around 11:30. A brief swing to the
northwest slowed migration for about two hours, but once the wind shifted
back to the northeast, we ended the day with plenty of kettles. The
barometer fluctuated slightly, but remained around 30.2”. Air
temperatures were pleasant throughout the day, topping out at 70°F.
Raptor Observations:
We started the morning with two donuts again, but we know the drill by now
— patience pays off. Before long, the clickers were in motion. A massive
kettle of Turkey Vultures, nearly one thousand strong, emerged dramatically
from the haze. Several hundred more followed the same route over the next
four hours, totaling an impressive two thousand, nine hundred and
sixty-five vultures for the day. What made the flight truly special was
that nearly all these birds passed within naked-eye range — a spectacle
we’re not often treated to. Mingling within the vulture ranks came
forty-five Red-tailed Hawks, fifteen Sharp-shinned Hawks, twelve
Red-shouldered Hawks, three Bald Eagles, three Cooper’s Hawks, three
American Kestrels, two Northern Harriers, and one Merlin. The low flight
line and bright sunlight showcased plumage details rarely visible,
especially among the Buteos. Red-shouldered Hawks flashed their translucent
crescents, adults displaying rich rufous chests, while Red-tails revealed
astonishing plumage variety — young birds glowing bright through their
wing panels.
Non-raptor Observations:
Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-throated Sparrows,
Yellow-rumped Warblers, and plenty of American Robins serenaded us from the
maples. Tree Swallows hawked insects and squabbled with one another across
the sky. Pelicans flew by the hundreds once again. Blue Jays tallied four
hundred and twenty, while American Crows contributed a modest five early
movers. Two Monarch Butterflies were spotted on their southbound journey
— we hope they make it. We appreciated a flock of Rusty Blackbirds
chattering from the branches of an elm, providing a moment of calm —
until a Cooper’s Hawk dove into the scene. The blackbirds scattered
instantly, leaving the unsuccessful hawk perched alone and dejected in
their place.
Predictions:
Tomorrow should bring cloudy skies, cooler air temperatures, and continued
northerly winds. Migration numbers will likely mirror those of the past few
days.
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Report submitted by Jo Patterson (<jopatterson06...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
