Holiday Beach Conservation Area Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 24, 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 1 1201 51054 Osprey 0 1 83 Bald Eagle 0 23 194 Northern Harrier 2 146 812 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 165 8259 Cooper's Hawk 0 19 202 Northern Goshawk 0 0 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 4 180 412 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 16636 Red-tailed Hawk 4 1173 1966 Rough-legged Hawk 1 16 16 Golden Eagle 0 33 53 American Kestrel 0 5 1521 Merlin 0 4 62 Peregrine Falcon 0 6 50 Unknown Accipiter 0 2 18 Unknown Buteo 0 24 106 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 1 3 Unknown Raptor 0 1 24 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Total: 14 3000 81474 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Jenna McDermott Observers: Bob Hall-Brooks, Michael Williamson Weather: The temperature started just above zero and increased to 5.5C, with no help from the sun. Humidity was up in the 80% and 90% ranges, leaving us with a layer of low "haze" (for lack of a better term) that impeded visibility to around 4km, and kept a chill in the toes long after the temperature rose. Winds were very light from the SW and WSW. Raptor Observations: Today was not filled with jaw-dropping excitement, but 13 raptors and a Turkey Vulture did make their way past. Two of the three Red-shouldered Hawks came right overhead, along with a couple of today's Red-tails and one of the Northern Harriers. Two Sharpies and a Turkey Vulture passed far to our north. The icing on the cake was a light-colouration Rough-legged Hawk that ended up being the last bird of the day. An adult Red-tail also spent at least four hours sitting on the bush in the middle of the marsh. Non-raptor Observations: With the ice increasingly encroaching on open water, ducks were in a few concentrated areas in the morning, and spread out later on. Plenty of ducks were on the move in the air, mostly Mallards, and were at times joined by small groups of Tundra Swans. In and amongst a raft of Mallards, one was spotted which was leucistic, showing up brightly compared to its counterparts. Small amounts of the usual passerines were seen in flight, and at the base of the tower there was lots of activity from Golden-crowned Kinglets, chickadees, American Tree and Song Sparrows, juncos, and Northern Cardinals. See today's eBird list http://ebird.org/ebird/canada/view/checklist?subID=S25985128 Predictions: A sunny day, warming to 10C with 25kph winds from the south. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Jenna McDermott ([email protected]) Holiday Beach Conservation Area information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/ _______________________________________________ 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
