Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 08, 2023 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 107 158 158 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 0 8 8 Northern Harrier 0 1 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 1 1 Cooper's Hawk 0 2 2 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 1 1 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 8 36 36 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 1 1 1 American Kestrel 0 0 0 Merlin 0 0 0 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 2 2 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 116 211 211 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 9.5 hours Official Counter: Chris Escott Observers: Catherine Manschot Visitors: Tom Catcher and Paul Madley from Niagara-on-the-Lake stopped by the tower in early afternoon. Weather: Clear blue sky almost all day, with occasional slight cloud; temperatures went from just below freezing to just above; north wind was brisk to start but diminished a bit as the day wore on, and it seemed a bit calmer on the tower as the north wind was deflected upwards at the escarpment. Raptor Observations: A steady trickle of Turkey Vultures started just before noon and continued through the end of the day, with an occasional Red-tailed Hawk sailing by. Birds were mainly low and flying along the edge of the escarpment but in later afternoon they were higher in the sky. Best bird of the day was a Golden Eagle that sailed overhead in easy unaided vision just before 3:00 PM. No other species were counted although an adult Bald Eagle and a female type (juvenile?) Northern Harrier flew east and seemingly not migrating. One of the local Copper's Hawk perched in a tree overlooking the tower for a good 15 minutes. Non-raptor Observations: A Carolina Wren sang twice from the woods, two Common Raven flew by (singles) and a Pileated Woodpecker called from woods beyond the Hem-Pine, but there were no other noteworthy non-raptor observations. Predictions: Forecast weather is similar to today, so a similar flight might be possible. Interestingly, the number of raptors observed today at Beamer far exceeded the Braddock Bay counts either yesterday or today, suggesting the flight line is more directly from the south. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Chris Escott ([email protected]) Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/ More site information at hawkcount.org: https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=389 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. Only the counter and designated spotters can drive into and park in the conservation area; there is a parking lot outside for visitors. 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 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. If parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuables in your car. Please note: 1) Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized after the end of the season. ©2020 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch. 2) Vehicular traffic into the park is allowed, but visitors are asked to have their cars outside the gate by 3PM. If parking at the gate DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR VEHICLE!!! -- Ontbirds and Birdnews are moderated email Listservs provided by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) as a service to all birders in Ontario. Birdnews is reserved for announcements, location summaries, first of year reports, etc. To post a message on Birdnews, send an email to: [email protected]. 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