Holiday Beach Migration Observatory Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 11, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 4 18 18 Osprey 4 20 20 Bald Eagle 0 10 10 Northern Harrier 16 121 121 Sharp-shinned Hawk 319 716 716 Cooper's Hawk 15 44 44 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 126 177 177 Red-tailed Hawk 3 29 29 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 20 168 168 Merlin 5 23 23 Peregrine Falcon 1 2 2 Unknown 0 1 1 Total: 513 1329 1329 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Bob Hall-Brooks Observers: Claude Radley, Jim McCoy, Olga Klekner Visitors: The OFO Conference provided more visitors to our site today who split their time between the raptor viewing at the Tower, the bird banding demonstrations, and an excellent Monarch Butterfly program conducted by Rachel Powless. Weather: Sunny blue skies, hot to 30 degrees Celsius. Raptor Observations: Sharp-shinned Hawks dominated today's counts but got a run for their air space from early Broad-winged Hawks. A lone Peregrine Falcon and five Merlin added spice to today's viewing. Non-raptor Observations: Other than a flock of Kildeer mixed with sandpiper species, the skies were noticably lacking in non-raptor species today. Monarchs continue to fly. Predictions: As we enter the tradional period for the Great Broad-winged Hawk flight, September 12th to 20th, look for North winds, then rush to the Tower. You will probably be the lucky viewers of this greatest of birding spectacles. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Bob Hall-Brooks ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Holiday Beach Migration Observatory information may be found at: http://hbmo.org/ Site Description: 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). Directions to site: See http://hbmo.org/directions.php
