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Dawn Chorus -- The Detroit River Hawk Watch [1]
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Date: 2024-12-29
The Detroit River Hawk Watch (DRHW) has been in operation for 41 years. This community science project is a collaborative effort by U.S. Fish & Wildlife, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and its friends group, the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance, Huron-Clinton Metroparks and the Detroit River Hawk Watch Advisory Committee. Volunteer observers sit at Lake Erie Metropark (LEMP), on the bank of the Detroit River near where it empties into northwest Lake Erie. I visit the park often throughout the year. For years, I’d been vaguely aware that raptors migrate through the area in the fall. The past three years made sure I took time to sit at the watch on the often chilly riverbank.
Geography and weather funnel birds that use thermals to migrate into this narrow section of land.
Map of the Great Lakes from Encyclopedia Britannica
This map shows the general migration paths in the region. Notice the red arrow, which runs between Lake Huron/Georgian Bay and Lakes Ontario and Erie. That’s the source of the raptors who pass through the DRHW.
A zoomed view of the area, showing alternate paths through the Detroit River/northwestern Lake Erie area. The DRHW used to have observers at Pointe Mouillee, but for the sake of consistent data, now only reports from LEMP.
Raptors moving south from their eastern Canadian breeding grounds are blocked by Georgian Bay and the north shore of Lakes Erie and Ontario. Thermals do not form over water, so the birds are forced in one of two directions: east around Lake Ontario or west around Lake Erie. Those that move west follow the north shore of Lake Erie until they reach the mouth of the Detroit River. Turning back is not an option, so they are forced to cross the 4-mile span to southeast Michigan, specifically at Lake Erie Metropark (LEMP) and Pointe Mouillee State Game Area (PMSGA). They lose altitude as they cross the water, making it easier for them to be observed. Many species of raptors utilize thermals to varying degrees during migration. Thermals are columns of rising air caused by heating of the earth by the sun. A bird will soar and gain altitude in a thermal, set its wings, and glide to the next thermal using little energy. Additional information regarding thermals can be found on our Links page. Weather is a key influence on hawk migration. During the autumn months, cold fronts descend from the north. After these fronts pass through the region, a series of weather events fall into place:
Light winds with a north component
Clearer skies
Increasing barometric pressure Decreasing humidity These factors combine to provide ideal weather for hawk migration. Once the cold front passes, it may be minutes, hours, or days, before large flights can be seen. A diverse selection of weather data should be used in making forecasts or attempting to understand general patterns. Additional information regarding weather can be found on our Links page DRHW website.
Nothing too fancy, just a cordoned off area for the spotters. LEMP can be a busy place and the hawk watch sits between the boat launch and nature trails. Hawk watching can be serious business, especially when the birds are coming fast and in huge kettles. Visitors like me are encouraged to set up quietly outside the immediate area, but close enough to hear what’s going on. I can’t say enough about the helpfulness of the volunteers. The river to the north and Lake Erie to the south afford a 180 degree view, with few obstructions.
The DRHW’s website has a wealth of information and I encourage readers to check it out. The gallery page has further links by species to the All About Birds site, a gallery of photos, and breeding location data. If you have time, here’s an example for Broad-winged Hawks, which sometimes move through in amazing numbers. This link has their Ontario population and breeding information, with maps. When I saw the maps, I understood why they are so numerous. If you want a real treat, this link is to the Broad-winged photo gallery.
Another useful tool is the Hawk ID link. It has downloadable pdf files of field markings for the most common birds, illustrated with photos and begging to be printed and laminated.
The count data tab has this easy to read visual summary of common species, when they are most often seen and in what numbers:
Volunteers gave me one that’s bookmark size. Perfect!
Looking north from the DRHW site. Closer. I took this photo in December after the watch closed up shop and the weather had turned cold. That’s ice on the Detroit River. Many of the houses and trees have names, which the spotters use to call out the location to the counters. So you’re apt to hear something like “a buteo in Butt Tree gap heading north to Pumpkin House.”
I always hope to see a Golden Eagle, and have three years running. It requires patience and multiple trips, with the first sightings scope distance or further. Luck and persistence brought flyovers each year. I also aim for Broad-winged and Rough-legged Hawks. You can see by the numbers that Broad-wings are a much easier catch. But I did get a good look and lousy photo of a Roughie this year. There was a dark hawk that spotters thought was a dark morph Red-tailed. Everyone was excited because our RTHAs are usually on the light side. Spotters went on to monitor and ID other birds. I kept my bins on the hawk and called out that it was headed for a direct flyover. Lots of photos and consultations later, the group decided it was a Roughie. I was thrilled for the sighting, but more so that I felt I had made a small contribution.
Looking southeast towards the mouth of the Detroit River and Celeron Island. The best winds have a north or east component and come directly across the water. Even with the wind at my back, it always seems at least 10 degrees colder than further away from the water.
Celeron Island catches late day light on an otherwise stormy fall day.
Looking south towards Lake Erie.
In future years I hope to see a Swainson’s Hawk or Northern Goshawk, neither of which has made it onto my life list yet.
Here’s a sampling of some of the raptors I’ve seen this year.
The title photo is about the best photo I’ve been able to snag of a Golden. Here’s another one. First winter Golden Eagle, turning its head to gawp at the gawpers.
Bald Eagles are observed in good numbers. There are resident Baldies, so counters have to screen them out. Any bird headed east is likely not migrating and isn’t counted.
First winter Bald Eagle.
Adult Bald Eagle heading into the trees and wetlands west of the river.
Only the second time I’ve seen a Rough-legged Hawk, this is photo zoomed to within a pixel of its life. This is the one I was tracking with bins, so I only caught it sailing away. Other photogs got good captures of markings and the feathers on its legs.
Broad-winged Hawk. With the high numbers migrating through, it’s a little easier to get a better photo.
Part of a smaller kettle of Broad-wings.
I know Red-shouldered Hawks are common for some Chorusers, but I don’t think any nest in my part of Michigan. They make the eBird rare bird alert when seen in southeast Michigan.
Our most common hawk year around — the Red-tailed Hawk.
Very typical of our light colored eastern Red-tails. Zoomed.
There are also lots of accipiters, here a Cooper’s Hawk. I saw several Sharp-shined Hawks, but didn’t get good photos. Same for falcons, seeing only Peregrine Falcons and a Merlin.
Turkey Vultures form huge kettles in Ontario, which break up and stream quickly across the river.
As they have expanded their range east, flocks of American White Pelicans are a common sight during migration. They are tricky to see because they wink in and out of the light, depending on their wing angle.
I’ve also seen thousands of American Crows and Blue Jays streaming in lines that stretch from the east horizon to the west.
I couldn’t write a DC about Lake Erie Metropark without mentioning that it’s regularly in Michigan’s top five hotspots for birding. I’ll close with a few of my favorite photos from this fall of birds in the wetlands west of the river.
Sandhill Crane pair coming in for a landing. They are regular fall visitors at the park.
I was lucky to see a huge flock of Rusty Blackbirds this year. Walking back past the area 20 minutes later, they were all gone.
Swamp Sparrows breed at the park and are part of the daily chorus.
LEMP is a great place for spring and fall warbler migration. Here, a Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler.
Birdwatching at LEMP doesn’t end in fall. I’ll close with a photo from early last winter of part of a flock of Tundra Swans in the Detroit River at the south end of the park. Their chattiness is up there with Sandhill Cranes. Always makes me smile.
That’s it for the Detroit River Hawk Watch roundup. Now it’s your turn. Seen any good raptors recently, or any other birds?
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