Slow Day at Hawk Watch - 20 Sep 2023
I left Elizabeth Park at 10 am drove over to the Detroit River Hawk Watch to see what was going on. Winds from the SW and humid cloud cover did not bode well for a Broad-winged Hawk flight. And, it did not. We had to settle for mostly distant looks at Sharp-shinned Hawks and American Kestrels passing nearby.
The highlight of the morning was watching a Red-tailed Hawk cross the channel and be attacked by a Peregrine Falcon (juvenile). The Peregrine was coming up the channel, and as it passed us it decided to go after anything that moved over the lake.
The Sharpy below was indicative of the day the counters had...
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Kevin Georg |
| Observers: | Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Rosemary Brady, Sabrina Salome |
Visitors:
We welcome visitors to our site and are very willing to share migration information, photography and ID tips with them. We have cards and pamphlets, so come and talk to us. However, during times of high traffic, requiring extra focus and concentration, we would respectfully ask that everyone use their indoor voices and allow us to fulfill our mission to the best of our abilities. Thank you.
Weather:
Into each life a little SW wind must blow. It was our turn to suffer the vagaries of the winds today. A wind that we could scarcely feel at the site because of the trees behind us,was resisting the passage of the sharpies and kestrels, and blowing the wind surfing broadwings beyond our view. Occasional glimpses of migrants were possible through the hazy soup to the north of us, but the clickers were silent today. Temperatures reached the seventy-four degree mark and without a cooling breeze it did feel very warm. Slabs of stratus clouds would occasionally slide by like passing icebergs, creating some shade but just as quickly departing the scene leaving only high cirrus clouds which did little to diminish the sun’s heat. The winds were ten mph when we arrived and stayed fairly close to that during the day. Not good. The barometer is acting a little quirky rising and then falling during the day.
Raptor Observations:
Well, our run of very good fortune had to end sometime. It would have been a better day at Elizabeth Park than at our site as the wind pushed the birds to the north. Sharpies took the gold today with 110 birds flying by on their thin wings today as the headed into the adverse wind. Often times, when they trim the sails in a high wind, they look a lot like kestrels when seen from a head on position. Turkey vultures took silver with forty-seven. Due to their size, big dihedral and prominent black vibe, they can be seen in hazy conditions when others may escape notice. Kestrels were on the bottom step of the podium with twenty-four, not too far ahead of the broad-wings with eighteen and harriers with seventeen. Two ospreys were noted today. One red-tailed hawk had a brief run-in with one of the two peregrines that were seen cruising around in a bad mood. Most of the frequent clashes we have seen this year seem to be between immature birds. One merlin was tallied as he surprisingly passed peacefully along the treetops.
Non-raptor Observations:
It seemed to be a warbler day today as small birds were frequently seen crossing the slip in front of us. A few blue jays were noted in the trees so they may have been advance scouts. Lots of egrets returned to the marsh this morning on the drive in. Mallards were the duck du jour. The sound of wood chippers seems to be a new constant in our lives as the cleanup of damaged trees in the park continues. I suspect they are taking to opportunity to do a little extra fall cleaning since the equipment is already on hand.
Predictions:
Hope springs eternal and the glimmer of hope is that the speed of the southerly winds tomorrow will not be strong enough to accomplish what they did today. It is predicted that they will be lower for most of the day, only breaking the five-mph barrier later in the afternoon. Temperatures will be even higher, possibly reaching the seventy-six degree mark. Oy. Clouds should still be present along with high humidity, so the sweat glands should get a workout. The barometer should have a straight climb early in the morning, ending up two tenths over thirty inches, before receding a little in the afternoon. Usually, these leftover summer days in September are not too productive, but if the wind stays low, we may see some migrants on the move. Cheers, Andrew
Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (ajyes72@gmail.com)
Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - [Project Details]
