A New Hawk Watch Season Begins - 01 Sep 2025
Today marks the 43rd year of raptor surveys at the Detroit River Hawk Watch. With clear skies, NNE winds the day actually held promise of a raptor flight.
I arrived at Lake Erie Metropark shortly before 8:30 am and parked at the Marshland Museum. I had a half-hour before hawk watch so I walked the nature trails. Birds were mostly heard. Carolina Wrens, Warbling Vireos, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay, and these Red-bellied Woodpeckers. I did not see any warblers this morning.
As I drove to the boat launch I took notice of some 400 Purple Martins roosting in the dead trees behind the boat launch.
Jo Patterson is returning this year as our Head Counter. She was an intern last year and everyone loved her presence. Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, Frank Kitakis, Will Weber, Johannes Posthma, Bill and Michele Peregord, and Mark Hainen were all present to start the season.
The morning started quiet with Purple Martins challenging our ID skills. Resident Bald Eagles made passes (note the molt on this guy) as well as a flyover Osprey.
Shortly after 10 am the first buteo of the season was seen. A Broad-winged Hawk! Several more would be seen in coming across the southern landmarks in the next few minutes including this one that made a bee-line directly at us and passed overhead low enough for some nice pics.
I'd leave at 11 am for errands, but would be happy to hear that we had a good first day with 34 raptors tallied (22 Broad-winged Hawks). Now we wait for the first Sharp-shinned Hawks and first big kettles!
Lake Erie Metropark, Rockwood US-MI 42.07672, -83.19838, Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 1, 2025 8:25 AM - 11:03 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.187 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Mostly sunny, mild, 66F, winds NNE 5-12mph. Ist day of hawk watch.
35 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 2
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) 2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 4
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) 14
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 3
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 6
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 4
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 400 In trees behind hawk watch
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 4
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 3
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 12
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 4
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 2
House/Purple Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus/purpureus) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 3
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 3
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Sep 1, 2025 8:25 AM - 11:03 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.187 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Mostly sunny, mild, 66F, winds NNE 5-12mph. Ist day of hawk watch.
35 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 2
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) 2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 4
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) 14
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 3
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 6
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 4
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 400 In trees behind hawk watch
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 4
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 3
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 12
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 4
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 2
House/Purple Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus/purpureus) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 3
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 3
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
