When Jays Ruled the Skies - 30 Sep 2024

While Hurricane Helene has ravaged the south its effects have been felt up here; overcast, clouds, rain. This morning was no different with cloudy skies and windy conditions, but with winds coming from the NE the birds decided to take flight!

I arrived at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge shortly after 9 am and walked the short Humbug Marsh trail. Hundreds of Blue Jays were streaming overhead, and many were landing in the trees above me as they crossed the Detroit River. Skies were overcast so conditions were not great for photography, but I managed a few keepers.

The woods were quiet, but warblers finally made an appearance as I reached the north side of the trail loop. White-throated Sparrows have arrived in force, and at least a dozen were moving through the bushes. Among them was a single Magnolia Warbler, and a surprise Orange-crowned Warbler. 

By the far the most numerous bird were the Yellow-rumped Warblers that flew through the trees by the dozen. I had 17 in one tree. 

A bright orange shelf-fungus was worth a photo with the 600/4.

As I reached the foot bridge overlooking the drain I spotted a pair of Ruby-crowned Kinglets; my first of the season!

A Golden-crowned Kinglet was among them.

More Yellow-rumped Warblers made an appearance.

I'd also record a Swainson's Thrush and a pair of Eastern Phoebes that proved difficult to photograph, so I headed over to Lake Erie Metropark.

Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 30, 2024 9:05 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.746 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Overcast, breezy, humid, 66F
31 species (+1 other taxa)

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  4
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  3
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  7
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  36
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  13
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  650     Large flocks flying across river from Canada and passing overhead. Count by 2’s to 50 and estimating afterwards.
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  18
swallow sp. (Hirundinidae sp.)  12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  17
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  12
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  8
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  17
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  2
Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata)  1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  16
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S197022486

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

I arrived at the Detroit River Hawk Watch shortly after 10 am and joined Michael, Ben, Wave and Erika. Sharp-shinned Hawks were already flying, and despite the dark skies I managed a few photos.

Shortly before 11 am the first Broad-winged Hawk kettles started forming across the channel, and winds brought them overhead. A few were low enough to photograph.

Sharp-shinned Hawk. Juvenile.

Adult. I had to make sure it wasn't a Broad-winged Hawk.

American Kestrel.

Sharpie.

Broad-winged Hawk.

For a while things got interesting as Turkey Vultures kettled in several places at once and streamed overhead from all directions. Broad-wings were among them.

Blue Jays kept Mark Hainen busy as thousands passed overhead during the morning and afternoon hours. 

I would leave at 12:30 pm. We'd end the day w/ 1200 raptors while Holiday Beach recorded 2700 including their first Swainson's Hawk of the season (a juvenile).

Lake Erie Metropark--Detroit River Hawk Watch, Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 30, 2024 10:15 AM - 12:20 PM
Protocol: Stationary
35 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  2
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  1
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  6
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  2
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  4
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  1
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  1
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  36
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  4
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  65
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)  3
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)  15
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)  2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)  54
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  2
Merlin (Falco columbarius)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  750
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  18
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  4
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S197050675

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