Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
50TH SPRING MIGRATION COUNT IN 2024 Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 22, 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 11 1059 1069 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 0 48 48 Northern Harrier 0 19 20 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 16 17 Cooper's Hawk 0 41 41 American Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 150 150 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 1 359 370 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 2 Golden Eagle 0 7 7 American Kestrel 0 3 3 Merlin 0 3 3 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1 Unknown Buteo 0 7 7 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 1 1 Unknown Raptor 0 8 8 Total: 12 1726 1749 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:30:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours Official Counter: Katherine Stoltz Observers: Visitors: A brief visit from Larry Blight. Very few dog walkers. Weather: Red sky in the morning, sailor (and hawkcounter) take warning. Technically spring, but Beamer was in the crosshairs of a low pressure system estimated to dump 10-15 cm of snow. ESE winds can be productive, but not when there is horizontal snow. Full cloud cover for the majority of the count. No count from 10 EST to 11:30 due to poor visibility due to snow. I returned to the tower at 11:30 for another 1 1/2 hours. Raptor Observations: Most birds came in a half hour between 8 and 9:30 EST. 2 more birds passed through during a brief lull in the snow at 12:30. 1 local TUVU and 1 local COHA seen. Non-raptor Observations: A robin day with 92 birds on the ground around the tower. Another 60 or so slammed on the brakes, and flew south. Can't blame them. Predictions: Not much in the pipeline, but at least it isn't going to snow. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Katherine Stoltz (Katherine [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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