Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 09, 2009
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 13
Osprey 4 30 36
Bald Eagle 11 34 52
Northern Harrier 6 29 54
Sharp-shinned Hawk 302 698 724
Cooper's Hawk 2 13 15
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 35 63 90
Red-tailed Hawk 0 11 16
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 161 352 366
Merlin 5 12 15
Peregrine Falcon 0 3 6
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 526 1245 1387
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 9 hours
Official Counter: Colin Horstead
Observers: Alf Rider, Dave Verkley, Don Taylor, Eric Single, Jim Dunn,
Kathy, Mary Carnahan, Ronnie Goodhand, Su Ross-Redmond
Visitors:
A few visitors today...Harold Scholz, Don Farwell and Chris Polkiewicz
(Stratford field Naturalists) Bruce Parker and Mark (tagging Monarchs).
Weather:
Moderate NE winds that eventually swung more to the E and got a bit
lighter. Lots of cloud cover to help observers spot the birds..always a
problem on NE winds when they pass over at high altitude.
Raptor Observations:
A really great hawkwatching day today with a total of 526 raptors total of
8 different species. The bulk of the flight was Sharpies (282)...also
another small push of Broadwings (35) and good number of Kestrels (151).
Non-raptor Observations:
LOTS of RT Hummingbirds today with 200+ as a rough count. For those
interested in the Monarchs today was a slow flight day with very few
passing the hawkwatch. Other good birds included warblers...BT Blue,
Magnolia, AM Redstart, Chestnut-sided, Canada, Also Hairy and Downy
Woodpeckers, lots of House Wrens, Hermit thrush, RB Grosbeak, Green-winged
Teal (15) and a Common Nighthawk.
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Report submitted by Dave Brown ([email protected])
Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at:
http://www.ezlink.on.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm
Site Description:
The Hawk Cliff Hawk watch is located just east of Port Stanley on the cliff
overlooking Lake Erie. Over the years the Hawk Cliff site has grown in
popularity and today it is recognized as one of the prime fall migration
hawk watching destinations in North America.
Every year hundreds of birders (and non-birders!) from Canada, the U.S.
and other countries visit the site. Knowledgeable volunteers are always on
hand to assist visitors with raptor identification and to raise public
awareness on the subject of raptor migration.
Birders can normally expect to see some 15 different raptor species with
typical count totals reaching several thousand birds per day. The count
season is from September 1st to November 30th.
On a few exceptional occasions lucky visitors have witnessed the amazing
spectacle of over 100,000 raptors of various species migrating past Hawk
Cliff in a single day!
Hawk Cliff hawkwatch is a great location for visitors to come to learn
about raptors and their migration. We cater to school groups, and will
arrange to provide special live bird demos for the kids (if possible)
depending on the day's flight.
Please visit the Hawk Cliff Foundation website listed above for more
detailed information and special events.
Directions to site:
>From east 401, take the Highbury south cut off at London, follow Highbury
(Hwy 30) south to St. Thomas. Highbury changes into South Edgeware at a
large curve in the road to the west. Follow South Edgeware west to the
first set of traffic lights - Burwell Road, turn left (south) and stay on
this road. It becomes Fairview Ave (Regional Road 22), which runs directly
into Hawk Cliff Road. You will see a sign for Hawkes Cliff Farm, where they
sell fresh vegetables and a gravel road just beyond sign. Just continue
down gravel road to viewing area.
>From west 401, take the Highway # 4 (Colonel Talbot Rd.) exit south,
through Talbotville, road now is Sunset Rd. continue towards St. Thomas;
you will come to a veer in the road, straight up to St. Thomas, veer to the
right for Port Stanley, follow Highway 4, now Sunset to Port Stanley. As
you approach Port Stanley you will come to a large curve in the road with
a sign saying East St, to the left. Take East St., and follow it to the
first road left, (opposite Port Stanley Water Tower) Dexter Line. Follow
Dexter Line approximately 2 km. and turn right down gravel road at Hawkes
Cliff Farm, and follow gravel road to viewing area
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