Week 12 of the Mackinac Straits Fall Raptor Watch has been a slow one as the migration winds down. 490 raptors were observed crossing the Straits from 11/3 to 11/9. Rain likely dampened the numbers, along with increasingly colder weather conditions.
The week 12 count began on 11/3 with overcast conditions, and rain in the afternoon. Only three raptors appeared, including a Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a Merlin. Two Northern Shrikes also made an appearance. November 4 was another non-event, with only one bird counted, a Rough-legged Hawk. No count was conducted on 11/5.
Numbers ramped up once the weather cleared up on 11/6, with 266 birds migrating. These numbers were mostly made up of Red-tailed Hawks. Calvin also recorded the best Golden Eagle flight of the fall so far at 9 Golden Eagles, and more good numbers of Red-shouldered Hawks.
November 7 saw lower numbers with very strong winds, likely discouraging most raptors from braving the Straits. Most of the birds moved during a burst of activity in the middle of the day.
A nicer day with partial sun and a nice liftoff in the morning started the count on 11/8. It was still a slow day, but nearly 4 times better than 11/7.
The final day of the week continued to be slow, but Calvin characterized it as more typical of this time of year. There was a narrow window of activity, with very little movement the rest of the day. On 11/9, this window fell in the early afternoon. The daily Golden Eagle record for this season was broken again, with a total of 10 Golden Eagles making an appearance. There were also excellent numbers of Long-tailed Ducks, nearly 3,000 of them, along with some migrating American Goldfinch and a few White-winged Scoter.
With very few weeks left of the Fall 2024 Raptor Watch, we urge everyone who is interested to come out and experience the count before its over. Thank you for sticking with us at the Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch this year!
