Date: 10/25/25 3:35 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [birders] Detroit River Hawk Watch (25 Oct 2025) 8408 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch
Brownstown, Michigan, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 25, 2025
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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, Jerry Jourdan,
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 low angle of the rising sun revealed a network of parachute spider trip
wires strung over the damp grass this morning, another reminder that we are
living in their world as we do our duties during the day. As if we needed
reminding, since we serve as a challenging free solo climb for all manner
of insects as we sit at our picnic table base of operations. We finally
found a nice balance of wind, sun and cloud today. Although the low-speed
winds nearly boxed the compass, the birds found it to their liking and flew
most of the day, despite our usual low totals in the first hours before the
wind picked up a little. Clouds were an interesting, at times, mix of
cirrus and cumulus clouds that provided some landmarks for us to follow
birds, but did not deprive us of the heat of the sun, which makes a lot of
difference to our comfort levels. The temperature rose to fifty-five
degrees and the barometer continued to stay in the high-pressure levels in
the 30.4 inches zone.
Raptor Observations:
The turkey vultures, once they got started today, were like Chicago voters,
early and often. Our third hour, after two meh ones, had five thousand,
seven hundred and thirty-six birds out of our total of eight thousand, two
hundred and eighty-one. A lot of these birds must have sat down overnight
within a two-hour radius. They kept moving until the end of the day.
Red-tails picked up the pace today with sixty-eight birds soaring by.
Sharpies managed to retain their podium status with thirty-one respondents.
Twelve red-shouldered hawks flew by, working much harder than the
red-tails. Five northern harriers, one a gray ghost kettling with vultures,
pumped by today. Three bald eagles were noted. One Cooper’s hawk was
tallied. Two merlins represented the falcons. The Holy Grail birds today
were three golden eagles and two rough-legged hawks, both light morph and
our first of the season.. We finally have the rough-legged monkey off our
back and it was a pleasure to be rid of it. I’m not comparing it to the
Cubs Billy goat curse, which took seventy-one years to break, but it was
weighing heavily on us.
Non-raptor Observations:
The pelicans stole the show today, as usual. They flew in close and were
feeding on some unfortunate schools of small fish that seem to be moving
into shallower waters lately. Close flybys and groups of fishing birds drew
more oohs and aahs that any of the spectacular raptor movements that we had
today. The kingfisher was busy today, occasionally laughing at us as he
sped by. The local eagles were active today in the immediate area. Crow
numbers continue to increase, with two thousand, five hundred and seventy
present today. Two monarchs made the trek, so they are not dead yet.
Predictions:
We had a better day than expected today, despite the light variable winds.
Tomorrow’s forecast is promising northeast winds, all day. in the seven
to nine mph range. Perhaps “promising” is too strong a word as the wind
seems to be the least predictable of all the forecasted details. Let’s
hope they are right, for a change. and we do get those winds. We should
have relatively clear skies, high pressure, and temperatures in the
mid-fifties. Those are good things and on paper, it looks to be a very
promising day.
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Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (<ajyes72...>)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org
