Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 29, 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 31 23622 24133 Osprey 1 6 123 Bald Eagle 2 86 144 Northern Harrier 0 500 944 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 3883 8318 Cooper's Hawk 0 141 205 Northern Goshawk 0 7 7 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 290 292 Broad-winged Hawk 0 60 13000 Red-tailed Hawk 6 1612 1673 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 2 Golden Eagle 0 50 50 American Kestrel 0 329 1934 Merlin 0 34 89 Peregrine Falcon 0 32 76 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: 44 30654 50990 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 11:00:00 Total observation time: 2 hours Official Counter: Mary Carnahan Observers: Jim Dunn Visitors: None! Weather: The weather this morning posed a few challenges, including keeping our balance, with SW flow that started at 38 km / hr with gusts to 55 km / hr and fell marginally by the second hour (34 km / hr, still with gusts to 55 km / hr.). But at least it wasnt raining. Temperature was apparently 5 C. to start, rising to 6 in the second hour, but the windchill felt more like -1C to 0C. And it was relentless! Raptor Observations: With winds from the Southwest, the flight path was inland where we did pick up a broken line of TVs farther north about 500 m and parked along Fairview Rd where we were glad to have a better view of a line of TVs plus a couple of Sharpies and Red-tails. We packed it in after 2 hours of very few birds combined with extremely uncomfortable conditions. In total we counted 44 migrants of which 70% (or 31) were Turkey Vultures. Our total raptor count was 13 including a pleasant surprise 1 Osprey! as well as 2 immature Bald Eagles, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Red-shouldered Hawk and 6 Red-tailed Hawks, a total of only 5 raptor species, although we did have a great look at a single Northern Harrier, hunting in a nearby field. Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptor observations for today were limited to whatever dickie birds were flying in front of us along with the raptors. These were Am. Crow, Am. Goldfinch, Rock Pigeons and a few Ring-billed Gulls. As well, there were lots of Mallards flying around as our location was near a pond and we did see a lot of European Starlings, as they are everywhere in the area surrounding Hawk Cliff (and in SW Ont. Generally at this time of year). Predictions: The wind is expected to shift to WNW overnight, then NW by early morning on Friday. Winds will be light from the NW for the day (11 to 12 km / hr), Skies are forecast to be a mix of sun and cloud to star then with increasing cloud into the afternoon. Temperature will start at about 7 C., feeling more like 4 C., and rise to 9 C., feeling a few degrees cooler with the windchill. Overcast conditions will continue on Saturday with the wind shifting back to a more southerly flow and a high probability of more rain overnight into the wee hours of Sunday. Skies will start to clear on Sunday bringing some sunshine, but that southerly or possibly SW flow is expected to continue throughout the weekend. ======================================================================== 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 including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
