Windy Morning and Little Blue Dip - 23 Nov 2025
I ran down to the South Causeway at Pt. Mouillee to see if the Little Blue Heron (juvenile) was still about after being reported yesterday. Running into Brian Beauchene we spent some time looking for the heron without luck. Winds were blowing from the SW at 10-20 mph so it was a bit chilly at 37ºF at 8:30 am.
Consolation prizes included 2 Northern Harriers hunting over the Humphries Unit, 200 Bonaparte's Gulls in the very-shallow Lake Erie inlet to our south, and 20 Dunlin still hanging around on a small exposed sand spit.
The Little Blue Heron would be refound at 9:30 am literally at the exact same spot that we were standing an hour earlier. I had left for hawk watch...
Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 23, 2025 8:28 AM - 9:03 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.25 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Clear, 37F, winds 10-15mph from SW
7 species (+1 other taxa)
Cackling/Canada Goose (Branta hutchinsii/canadensis) 1
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) 2
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) 20
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 200
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 15
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Nov 23, 2025 8:28 AM - 9:03 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.25 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Clear, 37F, winds 10-15mph from SW
7 species (+1 other taxa)
Cackling/Canada Goose (Branta hutchinsii/canadensis) 1
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) 2
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) 20
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 200
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 15
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Arriving at Lake Erie Metropark at 9:20 am I found Andrew Sturgess and Bill and Michelle Peregord conducting the Detroit River Hawk Watch this morning. Winds felt a bit calmer here but were mostly blocked by the woods behind us. This American Tree Sparrow popped into the maple tree just as I was setting up the scope.
The strong SW winds expectedly made raptor movement slow for the first hour. We saw one very distant Red-tailed Hawk, and this Bald Eagle that passed close enough for a photo.
A pair of Blue Jays passed overhead and this one had an acorn in its mouth.
A Red-shouldered Hawk appeared way east of the channel in front of us, and took almost 20 minutes to pass overhead due to the winds. It passed to our north but we were able to get verification photos.
A few more Red-tailed Hawks were seen along with a Northern Harrier before I left at 11 am. As I was packing up Michelle spotted 20 Turkey Vultures moving east overhead across the channel.
Lake Erie Metropark--Detroit River Hawk Watch, Wayne, Michigan, US
Nov 23, 2025 12:33 PM - 2:03 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Ptly to mostly cloudy, 45F, SW winds 5-20mph. Detroit River Hawk Watch.
18 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 5
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 34
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 16
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 28
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 20 Exact count of small kettle seen across channel and moved to our NW.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Nov 23, 2025 12:33 PM - 2:03 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Ptly to mostly cloudy, 45F, SW winds 5-20mph. Detroit River Hawk Watch.
18 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 5
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 34
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 16
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 28
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 20 Exact count of small kettle seen across channel and moved to our NW.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
