The OFO Convention weekend was a big success thanks to the hard work
of Maris Apse, Don Barnett and the rest of the OFO Executive. Thanks
to our speaker, Bruce Mactavish, and all the trip leaders, to Ron
Tozer, to Jim Rising, and especially to all who participated. Special
accolades to Jean Iron, retiring President, for her 9 years of
stalwart service.
Fieldtrips yielded a total of 125 species as of noon today. The
weather was not conducive to lake-watching but many interesting
species were found, including an Avocet at Van Wagners Beach,
Hudsonian Godwit and Stilt Sandpiper at Grimsby Sewage lagoons,
several Sharp-tailed Sparrows at Dundas Marsh, a probable Red
Phalarope off 50 Point, a good number of warblers (eg. Parula,
Orange-crowned ) and sparrows, ducks and shorebirds. Other late
migrants were Barn, Tree swallows, Eastern Pewee, Marsh Wren, Great
Egret, Red-throated Loon, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Dave Milsom
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Date: 03 Oct 2004 07:10:59 -0400
Subject: [Ontbirds]HSR: Holiday Beach (03 Oct 2004) 399 Raptors
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Holiday Beach Migration Observatory
Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 03, 2004
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Turkey Vulture 325 785 2021
Osprey 1 2 71
Bald Eagle 0 0 30
Northern Harrier 0 1 188
Sharp-shinned Hawk 51 98 3818
Cooper's Hawk 6 7 92
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 1 7
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 27842
Red-tailed Hawk 1 3 221
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 15 16 1236
Merlin 0 1 34
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 10
Unknown 0 0 38
Total: 399 914 35608
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 06:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Bob Hall-Brooks
Observers: Olga Klekner
Visitors:
Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Ontario were all represented on the
Tower today. Thank you to all who made counting so enjoyable.
Weather:
>From cold to moderate temperatures today, sunny, few if any clouds, winds
variable to South West, gusting to 10 mph.
Observations:
Turkey Vultures to the north with occasional Sharpies and Kestrels and a
Coopers or two.
Blue Jays reached 44,000 today, Goldfinches totalled 1890. The Passerine
banders netted their first Phoebe and their first two Juncos.
Predictions:
Who knows what tomorowmay bring. I just know that Olga Klekner, our newest
counter, will make everyone who shows up welcome.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Bob Hall-Brooks ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Holiday Beach Migration Observatory information may be found at:
http://hbmo.org/
Holiday Beach Migration Observatory
Information on southern Ontario's hawk migration and the Holiday Beach
Conservation Area site
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Southwestern Ontario is largely an area of flat, featureless farmland.
There are only two geographic features of note in the region. One is the
proximity of the Great lakes, which influence bird migration in the area
to a great extent, The second is the shape of the province, roughly
funnel-shaped with the narrow end to the southwest. These features confine
south-bound bird migrants, especially hawks, to specific flight corridors.
Holiday Beach Conservation Area was formerly a Provincial Park, but is now
administered by the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA). It is
strategically located at the extreme southwestern tip of southern Ontario.
The park is on the eastern end of a large freshwater estuary known as Big
Creek. (Specifically the site is 1.1 miles south of the junction Highway
20 (old 18) and Essex Road 50, Town of Amherstburg).
The Holiday Beach Migration Observatory (HBMO) (founded in 1986) is a
non-profit, volunteer organization formed to promote the study and
protection of migrating birds. Activities focus primarily on fall
migration of raptors and other species. This site is in Essex County,
Ontario, on the north shore of Lake Erie near the Detroit River. In 1988,
HBMO persuaded Detroit Edison to donate a 40 foot Hawk Tower which is now
at the site.
Southwestern Ontario has a funneling effect on migrating raptors due to
the geography of the nearby lakes and the reluctance of most raptors to
cross large bodies of water. Birds gain altitude over the flat farmland to
the north and east, rising easily with the thermals that such areas
provide in abundance. As the birds head south they meet Lake Erie and,
reluctant to cross it , turn west. With appropriate wind and weather
conditions, birds pile up along the lake shore and move west until they
reach the narrow crossing at the Detroit River (or island hop within the
river mouth).
