Holiday Beach Conservation Area Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 22, 2013 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 2140 20397 24009 Osprey 0 19 76 Bald Eagle 6 68 291 Northern Harrier 8 103 322 Sharp-shinned Hawk 207 1106 5617 Cooper's Hawk 9 214 466 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 21 39 Broad-winged Hawk 0 3 48629 Red-tailed Hawk 30 342 709 Rough-legged Hawk 1 2 2 Golden Eagle 0 4 6 American Kestrel 10 231 1121 Merlin 0 17 77 Peregrine Falcon 0 10 30 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 6 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 1 Gyrfalcon 0 1 1 Mississippi Kite 0 0 1 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 7 Total: 2411 22538 81410 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Todd Pepper Observers: Dennis Patrick, Gwen Patrick, Jim McCoy Visitors: A couple from Thunder Bay (originally from Kingsville) made their annual pilgrimage back to Holiday Beach. Weather: A fairly bright, sunny day today. The temperature ranged from 4 - 11C. The winds had a westerly component to them with some southern influence. The winds were fairly strong through the day, generally in the range of 20 - 22 km/hr. Raptor Observations: A fairly productive day today with more Sharp-shinned Hawks in the first two hours than all of yesterday. The day total for Sharpies was 207 out of a total of 2,410 raptors. Turkey Vultures were steady all day until the last hour and totalled 2,141 birds or 89% of the total. The best bird of the day (sorry Jim) was a light female Rough-legged Hawk that came in right over the tower and buzzed the plastic owl on the top of the flag pole twice before flying west. Non-raptor Observations: A total of 1,290 birds of 13 non-raptor species on migration today. Four species made up 90% of the total. Blue Jay (513) was 40% of the total; European Starling(281) was 22%; American Crow (186) came in at 3rd place with 14%; and, Red-winged Blackbird (161) came in at 12.5%. Sixteen Bonaparte's Gull represented the 2nd time this species has been seen this year. There are still at least 42 Great Egret (no wing tags) in the Big Creek Marsh. Predictions: This is what everyone has been waiting for, North-West winds at 15 km/hr. It is going to be cool with the temperature forecasted to be between 3 and 9C, but that will be ignored if Golden Eagles and Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, and Rough-legged Hawks show up in good numbers. We are due. The mostly sunny day may also make it feel warmer. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Todd Pepper ([email protected]) Holiday Beach Conservation Area information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/ Directions to site: 1. Entering Canada from Detroit at the Ambassador Bridge: After Canadian Customs you are on Huron Church Road leading to Highway 401 and Highway 3. Continue east through the construction to HOWARD AVENUE ROUTE 9 SOUTH. Turn RIGHT onto HOWARD ROUTE 9 and 'carefully' follow signs south TO ITS END at County Road 20. Turn RIGHT (west) on County Road 20. Continue west to intersection with Route 50 with Ure's Country Kitchen & Variety on the LEFT. Turn LEFT onto Route 50 south going 1.3 miles. Soon after the left curve on Route 50 is the entrance to the Holiday Beach Conservation Area on the RIGHT. Pay the daily vehicle fee of $10 at gate or at credit card reader. Continue to the Hawk Tower parking at the south end of the park. Park vehicle and walk to the Hawk Tower. 2. West bound on Routes 401 and 3: Take HOWARD AVENUE ROUTE 9 SOUTH. Continue with directions above. Bring with you birding gear: books, binocs, scopes, camera, hat or bill cap, insect repellent, sunscreen, folding chair, (drink and food during non-festival time). Dress for the weather. It is cooler near the lake. (You may purchase an annual pass and electronic fob at the Essex Region Conservation Area building, 360 Fairview W Essex, ON N8M 1Y3, Canada, 519-776-5209, erca.org.) PLEASE OBEY SPEED LIMITS! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
