I spent a few days at the Detroit River Hawk Watch at Lake Erie Metropark trying to catch the Broadwinged Hawk migration. The Broadwings put on a good show on Monday (35,000) and Tuesday (23,000). The volume tapered off substantially the rest of the week as the winds shifted from north to unfavorable south.
Below is a video of Broadwings streaming out of one kettle and into another. Note the lack of flapping as they conserve energy by gliding from one thermal to another.
It was a bad week for local fish as the Bald Eagles and Ospreys patrolled the Detroit River.
Orange is the new snack
Dave Boon tipped me off to an injured immature Yellow-crowned Night Heron at Port Sunlight Rd. near Estral Beach.
Beautiful spider...now there are two words you don't expect to see together. But I believe it applies to the female Marbled Orbweaver that has set up shop between the rails of my deck.
On Monday 9/9 Van Burmeister found a Cackling Goose at Peter Copyean Park in Ludington. By the time I got there a few hours later a second one had joined it.
