Holiday Beach Migration Observatory Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 20, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 3 51 51 Osprey 13 57 57 Bald Eagle 11 34 34 Northern Harrier 32 238 238 Sharp-shinned Hawk 384 2435 2435 Cooper's Hawk 11 90 90 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 124 4388 4388 Red-tailed Hawk 11 75 75 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 397 1062 1062 Merlin 16 48 48 Peregrine Falcon 7 12 12 Unknown 0 1 1 Total: 1009 8491 8491 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7.5 hours Official Counter: Mike Fitzpatrick Observers: Claude Radley, Jerry Stanley, Martin Blagdurn Visitors: N. Keller, J. Stenger, P. Wharton, J. Morgan, J.Upson came all the way from Cincinnati to "enjoy the show". Many people dropped in throughout the day. Weather: Hot, dry, windy, cloudless, WNW winds all day Raptor Observations: An excellent day for falcons and sharpies. Kestrels coming in groups of 3 to 6 all day. Some great aerial duels witnessed. Merlins were low and many were actively hunting Non-raptor Observations: solitary sandpiper, red-headed woodpecker, nice movement of bluejays and goldfinches throughout the day Predictions: If winds stay out of the WNW, or NW, it should be a great day. Pls bring us some clouds though, as clear blue skies are "death" on finding birds and/or tracking them ======================================================================== Report submitted by Michael Fitzpatrick ([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
