Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 07, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 250 3755 4237 Osprey 1 7 137 Bald Eagle 0 25 187 Northern Harrier 1 45 326 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 869 4883 Cooper's Hawk 2 26 103 Northern Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 3 6 Broad-winged Hawk 0 64 22145 Red-tailed Hawk 0 9 61 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 1 American Kestrel 0 155 2171 Merlin 1 2 52 Peregrine Falcon 3 48 104 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: 260 5009 34414 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Colin Horstead Observers: Dave Stimac, Don Taylor, Jim Dunn, Mary Carnahan Visitors: Thanks to Dave Stimac for coming over from Michigan and Michael Sandell from Oakville as well for helping out today....just too bad the weather wasn't the best! Weather: Winds were very strong from the WNW to start the day swinging slightly to the N and slowly decreasing through the day. Cool (but not too cold) with a high of 13C. Cloud cover was 100% for the entire day and there was a light drizzle on and off for all but two separate hours of the count period. Raptor Observations: The flight consisted of mostly TV's (250), singles of Osprey, Harrier and Merlin, a couple each of Sharpies and Coops and another 3 Peregrines....one which flew right over the counters. Total for the day was just 260 birds. Non-raptor Observations: Hardly a passerine in the sky today. There were some Common Loons spotted (5), a RB Woodpecker and an E. Phoebe. ======================================================================== 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 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
