Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 01, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 1 1 20 Bald Eagle 0 0 13 Northern Harrier 10 10 59 Sharp-shinned Hawk 8 8 15 Cooper's Hawk 1 1 2 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 174 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 2 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 6 6 168 Merlin 1 1 2 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 1 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: 27 27 456 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours Official Counter: Jim Dunn Observers: BJ Hill, Mary Carnahan Visitors: Lots...but didn't get any names that were recorded. Thanks again to Mary, Jim and BJ for doing the count today. Weather: Winds were light for the day from the NE..then swinging E and finally all the way around to the SW. Temp actually even hotter today for the first day of September with a high to 27C. Only a few clouds to start the day...but building in by noon. Continued low humidity under a high pressure system hanging over the region. Raptor Observations: A few raptors on the move today with a total of 27 tallied....though it appeared there were more visitors today than birds. Only a single Osprey today...with Harriers (10), Sharpies (8), a lone Cooper's Hawk, Kestrels (6) and a single Merlin. Non-raptor Observations: Songbirds were a highlight today with noticeably more action than yesterday, with more species reported as well as multiples in many species. Our Warbler count today was 12 with 2 new species, bringing our cumulative total to 18 warbler species. Today's were Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Black & White, Redstart, Tennessee, Nashville, 2 Ovenbirds (one in the woods and one along the pond path), Wilson's, Canada, Common Yellowthroat, and our new species, Pine and Mourning. Blackbirds and Starlings were notable. Early in the day, we had a mixed flock of Grackles and Redwings and another small flock of 8 Cowbirds; towards the noon hour (EST) a large Starling ball formed and escorted a sharpie across the field near Sharpie Alley. In addition, we had most of the usuals, as ell as a few we don't find every day such as Hairy Woodpecker, Bonaparte's Gull, 5 Eastern Bluebirds on the wire at Fairview & Roberts Ln, and Field Sparrow. Hummingbirds and Goldfinches are still present in large numbers with some of the hummers blasting westward. Just before we called it a day (due to no wind and no raptors), we had a flock of at least 160 Cormorants fly eastward across the field. Insect sightings were great today, especially if one is a fan of the various species of Flies that hang around the Cliff, including those little ones that sting. We were plagued by flies of all sizes in all locations -- on the mound, in the sun, in the shade, the woods, the cliff side, and eventually in our vehicles too. More interesting, however, were the Butterflies which included the usual species plus a Red-spotted Purple that definitely had seen better days, a Mourning Cloak, many fresh-looking Viceroys but fewer Monarchs, a single Fiery Skipper, and one each of Eastern Tailed Blue, Summer Azure and Grey Hairstreak. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Dave Brown ([email protected]) Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at: http://www.ezlink.on.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm _______________________________________________ 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/
