Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 18, 2011
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 12 14
Osprey 2 85 100
Bald Eagle 2 83 83
Northern Harrier 10 318 351
Sharp-shinned Hawk 88 3456 3489
Cooper's Hawk 0 37 37
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 18 71855 71888
Red-tailed Hawk 0 14 17
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 82 1916 2014
Merlin 2 26 36
Peregrine Falcon 2 8 8
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
Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1
Total: 206 77811 78038
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Observation start time: 06:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Colin Horstead
Observers: Bill Reid, Dave Verkley, Derek Lyon, Jennifer Lyon,
Jim Dunn, Kathy, Keith Sealy, Mark Cunningham,
Mary Carnahan, Rose
Visitors:
Lots of visitors...those who were noted included Bill Hay (Alvinston),
Kristen Park and Stefan Wasowicz (Kitchener). Thanks to all our counters
and observers...Colin H., Mark C., Jen and Derek L., Jim D., Kathy, Dave
V., Bill R., Keith S., Mary C. and Rose. Thanks as well to the St. Thomas
Field Naturalists, Hawk Cliff Raptor Banders for putting on the live bird
demos...and to Bruce P., Ann W., Erin and Lisa for their work on Monarchs
and butterfly tagging.
Weather:
A big change weatherwise from yesterday...with moderate to strong winds
that started NE then went ENE, SE, ESE then settling in to SE. Temp ranged
from 9C to a high of 18C. Cloud cover was nil to start and built to 70% by
the end of the count period.
Raptor Observations:
Total birds today was just 206...a far cry from the 1000's yesterday. The
bulk of today;s flight were Sharpies (88) and Kestrels (82)...and 2 seemed
to be the magic number for Osprey, Bald Eagle Merlin and Peregrine (the
only real highlights for the day). Also had 10 Harriers and a mere 18
Broadwings!
Non-raptor Observations:
A Common Nighthawk was spotted from the mound this morning as were a couple
of migrating flocks of Blue Jays (total number of jays was 150) and a small
flock of Eastern Bluebirds. Some bluebirds were also heard singing from
the fields along the cliff on both yesterday and today. As well, several
bluebirds were found enjoying some late morning sun on the wires along
Dexter Line between the Cliff and Port Stanley.
Hawkwatchers also reported 5 Common Loons, a Great Blue Heron and 6 Tree
Swallows and a lone Sandhill Crane was spotted passing north of the
hawkwatch.
Warblers were still around today with at least 11 species spotted. There
were still lots of Blackpoll, Am. Redstart and Magnolia. A new bird for
this season was a single Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, seen (and heard) in the
willows just south of the mound.
Butterflies were abundant again today with lots of Orange and Clouded
Sulphurs, Monarchs, a couple of Viceroys, many Eastern Tailed Blues, a few
Summer Azures, a Mourning Cloak and one each of Eastern Comma and Question
Mark.
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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
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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/
