Holiday Beach Migration Observatory Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 15, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 696 27033 27191 Osprey 0 13 82 Bald Eagle 1 40 80 Northern Harrier 4 251 574 Sharp-shinned Hawk 44 3736 7511 Cooper's Hawk 7 241 389 Northern Goshawk 0 17 18 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 209 210 Broad-winged Hawk 0 129 7964 Red-tailed Hawk 13 1480 1624 Rough-legged Hawk 0 7 7 Golden Eagle 0 2 2 American Kestrel 19 665 1954 Merlin 1 27 96 Peregrine Falcon 2 23 42 Unknown 0 19 27 Total: 789 33892 47771 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:00:00 Observation end time: 14:30:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: Bob Hall-Brooks Observers: Cherise Charron, Dan Mennil, Doris Applebaum, Karen Padbury Visitors: Many thanks to Karen Padbury for her assistance today, especially when she covered for me during the HY-U baby shower for Steve Greidanus and his wife Kelly. Many thanks also to the many visitors who make our day with their cheerful chat. Weather: Sunny, clear skies, clouding slightly later in the morning. Strong NW winds changed quickly to WNW. Temperatures ranged from 11 to 22 degrees Celsius. Raptor Observations: A slow start with only one bird in each of the first two hours. Then the Turkey Vultures began to appear. All other raptors barely trickled through today. The highlight was the appearance of two Peregrine Falcons. Non-raptor Observations: Blue Jays (2970), American Goldfinch (440), Cedar Waxwings (100), American Robin (35) and House Finch (27) made up the bulk of passerine traffic today. The major flyers today were the ducks. Predictions: Forecast is good for tomorrow. See you all at the Tower. ======================================================================== 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
