Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 24, 2023
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 247 1471 1471
Osprey 0 0 0
Bald Eagle 4 39 39
Northern Harrier 1 11 11
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 16 16
Cooper's Hawk 5 18 18
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 117 223 223
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 213 439 439
Rough-legged Hawk 1 6 6
Golden Eagle 1 5 5
American Kestrel 0 0 0
Merlin 0 0 0
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Accipiter 0 2 2
Unknown Buteo 0 3 3
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 593 2234 2234
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 8.5 hours
Official Counter: Lyn Hanna-Folkes
Observers: Alex Duncan-Harrison, Alfred Adamo, Dave Langford,
Katherine Stoltz
Visitors:
Thank goodness for Kat Stoltz who stayed most of the day - thank you for
your excellent and much needed help! Thanks also to Alex Duncan-Harrison
(Hamilton), Dave Langford (Etobicoke) and Alf Adamo for their great help
with the high count today. Thanks also to Chris Vickerson for providing
several diagnostic photos of distant birds. Other visitors included Bob
Curry and Glenda Slessor (Burlington), Steven Vine, Shirley & Debbie (1st
visit from Niagara Falls), a large Grade 7-8 school class from Dunnville,
Cecilia & Danielle (Brampton), Julia Coruse (1st visit from Hamilton).
Weather:
Beautiful cool day with great light conditions for hawk watching! Mainly
cloudy, temperature began at -2C, climbed to and stayed at 5C from 14:00
EST on. Calm NE breeze most of day with excellent visibility. Humidity
dropped throughout the day from 80% to 54%.
Raptor Observations:
Fantastic busy Hawk Watch day! 117 RSHAs!; 1 Adult GOEA; 4 juv. BAEA (plus
an adult BAEA migrated with one juv but later returned and flew south, not
counted); 213 RTHA (2 dark morph); one adult male NOHA; a light-phase RLHA;
4 SSHA; 5 COOP; and 247 TUVU. A couple Merlins also flew south, not
counted. Dominant flight line was directly over the tower. Also many birds
over the escarpment plus several TUVUs and RSHAs over the farmhouse.
Altitude and lighting made for great views of many birds.
Non-raptor Observations:
Arrived to the usual birds in song and loud woodpecker drumming. In the
morning, 4 aggressive TUVUs chased out a single Canada Goose as well as a
flock of 35 TUSWs made up of many small 'V' formations; 3 Sandhill Cranes
flew N over the farmhouse; a pair of Mallards and a Killdeer flew very
close over our heads. A flock of 16 CEWAs flew just over the tower in the
afternoon, and a CORA soared to the west.
Predictions:
A poor migration forecast with a storm bringing freezing rain early in the
morning, and then 20-25 mm of rain for the day.
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Report submitted by Lyn Hanna-Folkes ([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!!!
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