Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 28, 2017 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 2 3 Turkey Vulture 11 3761 5834 Osprey 0 41 42 Bald Eagle 0 22 43 Northern Harrier 0 52 63 Sharp-shinned Hawk 17 971 1047 Cooper's Hawk 2 50 89 Northern Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 53 306 Broad-winged Hawk 43 3263 3263 Red-tailed Hawk 8 612 1213 Rough-legged Hawk 0 14 21 Golden Eagle 0 4 8 American Kestrel 0 42 60 Merlin 1 9 14 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 4 Unknown Accipiter 0 4 4 Unknown Buteo 0 12 39 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 15 20 Total: 82 8930 12074 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Tom Thomas Observers: Neil Taylor Visitors: It was evident that birders are now in search of other species other than hawks, as there were few visitors today, just Ian Smith and Alessandra Mentefiore Weather: A really strong gusty south wind was the main story today. Cold and blustery, you needed a warm jacket if you were on the tower,just to keep from freezing, even though it was supposed to be 9 degrees C. It was mainly overcast early on, with the sun breaking through for the rest of the day. Raptor Observations: What started out as a promising flight soon petered out after a few hours as the winds increased in intensity, and the 'up flight' was over. At around midday it was obvious that birds were not about to fight the wind, and for most of the afternoon Broadwings,Sharp-shinned Hawks and Red-tailed Hawks were coming in and then turning around and flying back east, very frustrating for the counter. Non-raptor Observations: A Pileated Woodpecker flew by the tower, but not too much action under the feeders. Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers were flitting around the trees at the back of the feeders. Predictions: It's hard to predict, but with north/east winds, it could be better than today, but there may be rain. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Tom Thomas ([email protected]) 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. ©2017 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
