Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 04, 2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 1 Turkey Vulture 50 824 5528 Osprey 0 1 1 Bald Eagle 0 2 32 Northern Harrier 3 10 26 Sharp-shinned Hawk 19 84 147 Cooper's Hawk 2 3 53 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 7 56 528 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 5 150 1129 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 37 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 0 3 12 Merlin 0 0 2 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 3 Unknown Accipiter 1 1 2 Unknown Buteo 0 5 26 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 3 Total: 87 1141 7530 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 5.17 hours Official Counter: John Stevens Observers: Visitors: Rick Quirk, Sue Walton and Carol Horvat. Weather: A wild day with winds of force 6 with stronger gusts. Rain ended about 0900 EST and started again at 1440 EST. Raptor Observations: Considerable to and fro movement of local TVs. One Red-shouldered Hawk came in so low that it was below me from the tower, passing in front of our sign before landing in a tree behind the tower. Didn't need any snow to show all the colour and the checkerboard wings. Non-raptor Observations: Ten Great Blue Herons, two loons and lots of blackbird movement in large flocks. Predictions: Forecast is for much cooler with moderate westerly winds but no precipitation. Did today's warm push from the southwest bring any birds to the area? If so then tomorrow could have a good flight. ======================================================================== Report submitted by John Stevens () Beamer Conservation Area, Grimsby, ON information may be found at: http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/ Site Description: Hawk migration monitoring at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby, Ontario is conducted by the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). All counting is done by volunteers. Not all members are counters nor does a counter have to be a member. Typically one person is the designated counter for each day but other observers present assist with the spotting and identification. Counting is done from a steel observation tower with a wooden floor. For wind protection on cold days, particularly in March, a black plastic wind guard is installed around the tower's platform. This platform easily accommodates ten people but on most busy days, no more than five or six observers would be on it. The site lies within a publicly accessible property owned by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. There is no charge for admittance. The tower stands in the centre of a mowed area with a gravel ring road near the outer edge. This provides lots of room to park vehicles (along the road) and set up lawn chairs, telescopes and cameras. Toilet facilities are present. During the counting season, the NPH erect a counting board to display seven day's worth of observation data for the public. The box enclosing the sign contains brochures and silhouette sheets for the public as well as bulletin boards with news and historical sighting records. Directions to site: To get to Beamer CA, take the QEW to Exit 71/72, follow Christie St./Mountain St. to the top of the escarpment, turn right on Ridge Road West, and go 1.6km to Quarry Rd. Turn right on Quarry Rd. and drive 100m to the conservation area. Parking is normally available inside the park. If parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuables in your car. Please note: Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized after the end of the season. © 2011 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch
_______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
