Afternoon at Hawk Watch - 21 Oct 2022


With the first sunny skies in over a week I took the opportunity to spend some time at the Detroit River Hawk Watch. But first, I stopped by the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge for a short walk. A Red-tailed Hawk was soaring overhead while several dozen Turkey Vultures were kettling over the north end of the refuge. They'd be the only vultures seen during the afternoon. 


The short loop behind the Visitor Center was active with small flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers. Birds were moving along the creek with a few birds stopping just long enough for a quick pic.


At the south end of the boardwalk flocks of White-throated Sparrows and Swamp Sparrows were moving through the cattails and sedges.







Another Yellow-rumped Warbler interrupted the sparrow-fest.



Song Sparrow.



Along the west trail I spotted a Woolly Bear Caterpillar. According to legend the more black on the body the harsher the winter. Hopefully, this portends a mild winter.


Back near the north end of the trail the Yellow-rumps were still active.




I returned to the car and got a call from Robin to see where I was at. I had to put her on hold while 8 American White Pelicans floated in low over the parking lot. Once they had passed I let her know that I was on my way to hawk watch for the afternoon.




Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Oct 21, 2022 12:00 PM - 1:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
7 species

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  8     Flying low over parking lot at the Visitor Center. Photo
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  30
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  7
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  3
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  5
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  16

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S159153297

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Southwest winds had pushed most of the larger raptors north, but the accipitors and falcons were still passing nearby. This Cooper's Hawk passed overhead while Sharp-shinned Hawks tended to stay a bit north. Curiously, the American Kestrels tended to pass just south of us. By north and south I mean the trees immediately north and south of our vicinity next to the boat launch. 









Forster's Terns were out in the channel but tended to stay on the far side. This one passed somewhat close to us.


A resident Ring-billed Gull came by for a visit. You can see it transitioning into its first winter basic plumage.


Lake Erie Metropark--Detroit River Hawk Watch, Wayne, Michigan, US
Oct 21, 2022 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Detroit River Hawk Watch
5 species

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  2
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  3
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)  4
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)  1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S159153694

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)