Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 19, 2016
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 215 1014 1021
Osprey 0 0 0
Bald Eagle 1 22 23
Northern Harrier 1 15 15
Sharp-shinned Hawk 8 34 34
Cooper's Hawk 4 24 25
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 96 219 219
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 143 559 560
Rough-legged Hawk 0 17 19
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 1 11 11
Merlin 0 3 3
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 1 1
Unknown Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 1 1
Total: 469 1921 1933
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:30:00
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Phil Waggett
Observers: Barry Cherriere, Bouwe Bergsma, Claude King, Eric Geenen,
Eric Holden, John Black
Visitors:
A huge thank-you to the observers who helped spotting the birds on a clear
blue sky--Eric Geenen, Eric Holden, John Black, Claude King, Barry
Cherriere and Bouwe Bergsma.
Les & Julia Henderson from Sarnia and Yves Scholten,Elise Bernier, and
Richard Baxter from Georgetown visited the tower and spotted some birds.
Weather:
A bright clear sky made finding the hawks very difficult today; light
overcast conditions were evident during the last three hours well to the
south of the hawkwatch. A cold biting wind from the NNE kept windchill
values in the negative column all day but created significant lift for the
migrating raptors.
Raptor Observations:
Today's flight was dominated by turkey vultures, red-tails and
red-shouldered hawks. Local red-tails, TV's (there are at least 6), and
coops were active primarily in the morning.
Non-raptor Observations:
Very little migratory activity was noted today. Locally, the red-bellied
woodpeckers were noted as well as a song sparrow. A large number of
American robins (50+) were active in the park surrounding the hawkwatch.
Also noted were a pair of local wood ducks and 2 ravens.
Predictions:
The flight thinned out considerably with only a few TV's noted in the last
60 minutes. Given the very sparse numbers passing through Hamburg and
Ripley today, I would not expect any serious numbers. The weather forecast
calls for a mix of sun and cloud tomorrow so at least spotting should be
easier.
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Report submitted by Phil Waggett ()
Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at:
http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/
Site Description:
Hawk migration monitoring at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in
Grimsby, Ontario is conducted by the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). All
counting is done by volunteers. Not all members are counters nor does a
counter have to be a member. Typically one person is the designated counter
for each day but other observers present assist with the spotting and
identification. Counting is done from a steel observation tower with a
wooden floor. For wind protection on cold days, particularly in March, a
black plastic wind guard is installed around the tower's platform. This
platform easily accommodates ten people but on most busy days, no more than
five or six observers would be on it.
The site lies within a publicly accessible property owned by the Niagara
Peninsula Conservation Authority. There is no charge for admittance. The
tower stands in the centre of a mowed area with a gravel ring road near the
outer edge. This provides lots of room to park vehicles (along the road)
and set up lawn chairs, telescopes and cameras. Toilet facilities are
present. During the counting season, the NPH erect a counting board to
display seven day's worth of observation data for the public. The box
enclosing the sign contains brochures and silhouette sheets for the public
as well as bulletin boards with news and historical sighting records.
Directions to site:
To get to Beamer CA, take the QEW to Exit 71/72, follow Christie
St./Mountain St. to the top of the escarpment, turn right on Ridge Road
West, and go 1.6km to Quarry Rd. Turn right on Quarry Rd. and drive 100m to
the conservation area. Parking is normally available inside the park. If
parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuables in your
car.
Please note: Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized
after the end of the season. © 2016 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch
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