A Golden Day at Hawk Watch - 07 Nov 2024
The past couple of days have seen strong S-SW winds, warm temperatures and low raptor movement at Detroit River Hawk Watch. Today the winds were to swing around more to the W and NNW so there was promise of a rebound flight. Skies were clear, temperatures were lower (50-60F) and winds were calmer (5-10 mph).
I arrived at Lake Erie Metropark at about 1 pm and joined the group of Michael Patrikeev, Jo Patterson, Don Sherwood, Frank Kitakis and Johannes Postma. Rosemary Brady joined me as we walked from the parking lot to the count site next to the Boat Launch. Already the group was scoping their 6th Golden Eagle of the day. I managed to see it even before I could get my scope set up so I didn't miss out.
Within moments I was on a pair of Golden Eagles across the channel, and alerted the group to a fast-moving Merlin flying across Lake Erie to the south. One Golden Eagle crossed close enough to photograph as it circled over the parking lot at the Boat Launch. But, it was high above the Earth.
Winds were already shifting to the S so birds were appearing far away and moving to the N. Still, we kept spotting Golden Eagles in 1's, 2's and even 4 at one point, but they were flying way to the north. So much so that we had to keep tracking single birds at scope magnifications of 60X to verify ID while Don called out a dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk to the extreme north (I had to miss it).
American Crows were moving today. We had one flock that filled the sky with almost 1000 birds that passed high overhead and to the north.
At least one Golden Eagle appeared close enough to photograph.
Red-tailed Hawks were moving today, as well. But they too were appearing and flying way to the north with few fly over opportunities.
Things slowed late afternoon so I turned my attention to a half-dozen Bonaparte's Gulls that flew in the channel in front of us.
Lighting was also low enough that many of the local Ring-billed Gulls gave impressions of their darker cousings the Lesser or Great Black-backed Gulls.
This 1st Winter Herring Gull swam in front of us and offered a chance to do some digiscoping.
We'd end our day with 21 Golden Eagles (me w/ 12). Holiday Beach would report 28 Goldens. Rick Nerschl was at Pt. Mouillee and Elizabeth Park and saw 10 on his own (with better pics that we).
Lake Erie Metropark--Detroit River Hawk Watch, Wayne, Michigan, US
Nov 7, 2024 4:26 PM - 7:26 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Winds NNW shifting to S in afternoon. Clear skies, 60F
21 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 7
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 6
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 18
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 2
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) 12 Detroit River Hawk Watch official tally for the day was 21 while Holiday Beach reported 28. I missed the first 6 but helped ID the 12 between 1 - 4 pm. All dark eagles with white wing patches and white tails with dark terminal bands. Most were distant scoped birds but golden napes, upswing on gliding and slight dihedral was sufficient to separate from any possible juvenile Bald Eagles. Pics.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 2
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 24
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 150
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Nov 7, 2024 4:26 PM - 7:26 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Winds NNW shifting to S in afternoon. Clear skies, 60F
21 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 7
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 6
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 18
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 2
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) 12 Detroit River Hawk Watch official tally for the day was 21 while Holiday Beach reported 28. I missed the first 6 but helped ID the 12 between 1 - 4 pm. All dark eagles with white wing patches and white tails with dark terminal bands. Most were distant scoped birds but golden napes, upswing on gliding and slight dihedral was sufficient to separate from any possible juvenile Bald Eagles. Pics.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 2
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 24
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 150
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
