Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS
Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 13, 2025
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 16 246 246
Osprey 0 0 0
Bald Eagle 1 20 20
Northern Harrier 3 5 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 13 13
Cooper's Hawk 2 16 17
American Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 7 27 27
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 21 116 116
Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 0 0 0
Merlin 0 1 1
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Accipitrine 0 2 2
Unknown Buteo 0 1 1
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 52 448 449
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Tom Thomas
Observers: Dave Sked, David Thomas, Jude Szabo, Phil Waggett
Visitors:
Bob Stamp, Dave Chapmen, Steve Vine. Lots of Families around in the
afternoon.
Weather:
Dark cloudy skies at the start and zero degrees. The sun eventual broke
through and it slowly warmed up. it felt much colder though due to the
brisk at times North East wind.
Raptor Observations:
Great expectations, but a slow day overall.
Non-raptor Observations:
What a fantastic display by around thirty Common Ravens. They seemed to
come in from all directions to kettle at the edge of the Escarpment.
Veteran birders were saying they have not seen anything like it before.
This display went on for many minutes, as they wheeled and dived and
interacted with each other. they moved further to the east, but soon came
back into view and and went through the same process all over again.
Getting back to my report of Brewer's Blackbirds on March 10th. Better
birders than I, suggested they probably were Rusty Blackbirds, after
viewing my photographs and comparing bill structures of the two species.
Other birds... Great Blue Heron, Killdeer, Eastern Bluebirds, and
Northern Flicker.
Predictions:
I think it has to be better than today, ahead of the rain on Saturday.
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Report submitted by Tom Thomas (ttho...@cogeco.ca)
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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