Another Hawk Watch Season Completed - 01 Dec 2025
Today was the first day in almost a week that the winds were not gusting >20 mph during the day. Weather was poor enough that we cancelled 2 days of the Detroit River Hawk including yesterday, our last day of the count season. As a result, the 2025 Fall Raptor Survey at the Detroit River Hawk Watch has come to a close.
This Northern Harrier would be the last raptor I'd photograph on 28 November 2025 during a cold, cloudy and windy day.
"My" last bird of the season was a lovely Golden Eagle that appeared across the channel at scoping distance. Because of the winds it soared higher and higher and took almost 20 minutes before finally drifting close enough to be counted. Too far to photograph I had to settle for scope views before my toes forced me back into the car and home for warmth.
A Dark-eyed Junco was the first bird of the morning as I arrived,
and these Bonaparte's Gulls were the only birds close enough to photograph during the rest of the morning.
Totals for the season are listed below. 151,131 raptors doubled our output for Fall 2024, so it was a great rebound year. The full season summary will be published in a few weeks, but suffice it to say, we did very well with Broad-winged Hawks, Turkey Vultures and Golden Eagles this year.
I came back to the Boat Launch at Lake Erie Metropark this afternoon to see if any Golden Eagles might be still seen now that the winds have died. 20 minutes at the hawk watch site netted 3 Red-tailed Hawks, one Bald Eagle, and a possible Golden Eagle that was soaring way north near the antennae farm; dihedral, white hint of tail and no visible head (it wasn't a Turkey Vulture) suggested Golden Eagle, but I lost it in the clouds so I couldn't verify.
I did see this American Kestrel as I walked the Cherry Trail to scope the lake (it was empty).
And this Great Blue Heron that was seen next to the boardwalk as I headed back to the parking lot.
I would leave LEMP with fond memories of a great season with gratitude to Jo, Andrew, Don, Bill, Michelle, Johannes, Rosemary, Mark, Erika, and all of the other volunteers who helped with the count.
Lake Erie Metropark, Rockwood US-MI 42.07522, -83.20136, Wayne, Michigan, US
Dec 1, 2025 1:21 PM - 2:26 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.076 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Pt clear, hazy, 32F. Calm. Inland ponds frozen.
12 species (+1 other taxa)
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) 24
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 4
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 6
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 3
eagle sp. (Accipitridae sp. (eagle sp.)) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 2
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 6
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 6
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Dec 1, 2025 1:21 PM - 2:26 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.076 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Pt clear, hazy, 32F. Calm. Inland ponds frozen.
12 species (+1 other taxa)
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) 24
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 4
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 6
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 3
eagle sp. (Accipitridae sp. (eagle sp.)) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 2
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 6
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 6
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
