High Winds and Low-hanging Fruit - 16 Nov 2025

I drove down to Lake Erie Metropark and Cove Point to look for a White-winged Scoter reported yesterday. Skies were partly-to-mostly cloudy with winds blowing up to 20 mph at 9 am under 45ºF temperatures.

I arrived at Cove Point and found Bobby Irwin scoping Lake Erie from the shoreline and stopped to say 'hi'. He had a Common Tern out on a rocky sand bar. Its a good bird this late into November. Dozens of Bonaparte's Gulls were nearby as well as flying in from the south.

I headed over to the pier to look for the scoter, and along the way saw an impressive murmuration of European Starlings. I estimated ~3000 birds flying through the park.

A Song Sparrow popped up onto the dead trees lining the shoreline to my left. It posed nicely backlit by the rising Sun.

The wind was putting a chop on Lake Erie so scoping for the White-winged Scoter was a challenge. I eventually saw it bobbing on the water out in front of me as it slept with head tucked under a white-striped wing, but it disappeared and could not be refound while I was there.

Among the rafts of Bufflehead were clouds of (presumed) Lesser Scaup flying along the horizon and too backlit to ID. At one point I spotted a loon but it dove before I could verify whether it was a Common Loon or the Pacific Loon reported last week. I could not relocate it after it resurfaced...

Tundra Swan numbers are beginning to increase at the south end of Lake Erie Metropark.

I headed back to the car to drive over to the Boat Launch and the Detroit River Hawk Watch. The European Starling mass was now dripping from the trees next to the bridge.

 

Andrew (Sturgess), Michelle and Bill (Peregord) were at hawk watch and bundled up against the buffeting winds that were now pushing 30 mph. A few Bald Eagles were flying low and providing nice photo opps as they approached us.

Red-tailed Hawks were moving despite the high winds and would outnumber the Turkey Vultures today. They were willing to run the wind-gauntlet but had to work overtime to cross the channel in front of us. Several birds spent a long time deciding to cross.

The American Crows were not deterred, either. Large numbers of several hundred moved northward from over Celeron Island and Canada and passed low over the water in front us.

This Bald Eagle came in low, as well. After circling overhead (and kiting) it dropped into the lake and pulled out a Carp.

More European Starlings crossed in front of us and were slowed enough by the winds to photograph.

Turkey Vultures perhaps struggled the most with the wind. When they crossed it was in front of us very low over the water; some even seemed to sweep the water with their feet before continuing on their journey to the west.

Red-tailed Hawks were a challenge to identify with so many crows crossing. Wing-beats were rapid and shallow, and they came head-on making differentiation from the American Crows difficult.

This Cooper's Hawk battled the winds and crossed into the trees to the south.

I had to leave a little past 11 am so I packed up and headed home.

Lake Erie Metropark, Rockwood US-MI 42.06984, -83.19669, Wayne, Michigan, US
Nov 16, 2025 9:00 AM - 11:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Pt to mostly cloudy, windy (up to 30mph N winds). Cove Point and Boat Launch (Detroit River Hawk Watch)
25 species (+2 other taxa)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  12
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  16
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)  60
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  24
Greater/Lesser Scaup (Aythya marila/affinis)  2000
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi)  1
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  36
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  18
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)  6
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  60
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  30
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)  10
loon sp. (Gavia sp.)  1     Either Common Loon or Pacific Loon (previously reported). Dove just as I got scope on it out from Cove Point but could not relocate it after it resurfaced. Bill appeared slim, which had me leaning more toward PALO.

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  15
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)  1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  6
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  12
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  160
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  3000
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)  4
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  4
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  4
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  4
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  12
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)  6
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S284929675

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