Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 09, 2012
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 2750 8773 12164
Osprey 1 12 192
Bald Eagle 3 34 173
Northern Harrier 8 62 614
Sharp-shinned Hawk 76 717 6370
Cooper's Hawk 0 26 112
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 1 4
Broad-winged Hawk 0 2 37166
Red-tailed Hawk 0 53 424
Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1
Golden Eagle 0 1 2
American Kestrel 12 121 2865
Merlin 0 7 71
Peregrine Falcon 7 27 107
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: 2857 9838 60266
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Colin Horstead
Observers: Bruce Parker, Carol Parafenko, Jim Dunn, Keith Sealy,
Mary Carnahan
Visitors:
Thanks to Colin, Jim, Keith and Mary along with Carol and Bruce for helping
with today's count and spotting the birds.
Weather:
The skies were fairly clear to start with a bit of cloud moving in as the
count progressed. Winds were strong from the SW and then pretty much
straight S with sand being blown up over the cliff edge. It was a cold
start to the morning at 2C then climbed to a high of 15C.
Raptor Observations:
The total birds tallied today was 2,857 and with such strong SW winds it
was no surprise to see a number of Peregrines (7). The first two came
through together...then there were single birds in each of the next two
hours followed by three more just after noon.
There was also a big upflight of TVs first thing this morning...obviously
these were birds that had roosted the previous night not far to the east
of Hawk Cliff. The count for TVs in the first 4 hours of the count...401,
675, 635 and 392....with a total of (2,750) for the day.
Other species seen today included Sharpies (76), N. Harriers (8), Kestrels
(12), Bald Eagles (3) and a lone Osprey.
Non-raptor Observations:
Birding right at the Cliff was tough today with the southerly winds
whipping sand into our faces -- and binos! However, around the noon hour,
a few good species were found just inside the woods, mainly around a tire
rut filled with water at the turn in the path. The sun was shining and
there is still enough foliage on nearby trees and shrubs to provide
protection from southerly winds, so a number of small birds were found
sharing a bath or taking turns, including Black-throated Blue,
Black-throated Green and Yellow-rumped Warblers, plus White-throated and
Song Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped
Chickadees, and a Northern Cardinal. In other nearby spots were found
Mourning Doves, Song Sparrow, 2 Golden -crowned Kinglets, a Tufted
Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Eurpoean Starlings galore, a red-winged
Blackbird, the usual Blue Jays, American Crows and American Goldfinches,
plus a few Robins and a single Catbird.
4 Eastern Bluebirds were seen on the wires on Fairview at Roberts Ln,
while folks at the mound saw lots of Ring-billed and a few Herring Gulls, a
Cormorant, flocks of Canada Geese, and a Carolina Wren singing from the
bushes across from the mound. Other sightings of note were a Chipping
Sparrow, Pileated Woodpecker and Norther Flicker, and at the B&B observers
spotted 2 flocks of Wood Ducks totally 12, a Belted Kingfisher and a Great
Blue Heron.
A few stalwart insects braved the winds today including Orange and Clouded
Sulphur, a few Buckeyes, a Red Admiral but no Monarchs that we saw. We
also had a few dragonfly sightings but only 2 species -- Green Darner and
Black Saddlebags. There were still lots of midges, however.
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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/
