Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 24, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 50 2182 2182 Osprey 0 1 1 Bald Eagle 0 40 40 Northern Harrier 0 10 10 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 103 103 Cooper's Hawk 1 39 40 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 209 209 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 359 359 Rough-legged Hawk 0 6 6 Golden Eagle 0 3 3 American Kestrel 0 3 3 Merlin 0 2 2 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 2 Unknown Accipitrine 0 2 2 Unknown Buteo 0 12 12 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 2 2 Total: 52 2975 2976 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 5 hours Official Counter: Keith Dieroff Observers: Gianpiero Tondina, Mimi Van Den Broeck Visitors: Thanks to Gianpiero for sticking with us until around 11am EDT, hope your Mrs. is on the road to recovery. Thanks also to Mimi for staying to the bitter (cold) end. Your next count day will be better! Weather: Wow, so windy. Started off just regular windy and then became very windy around 11am EST. Rain started just after 1pm EST and we called it a day. During the last hour, the count was essentially zero, as Turkey Vultures were flying both west and east, resulting in a net zero count for the hour. Raptor Observations: Mostly Turkey Vultures struggling to deal with the strong wind. Many birds were low and doing their best to navigate the gale. Thermals were non-existent and soaring was not an option. A lone Red-shouldered Hawk zipped through around noon EST but was only visible for five or six seconds. Overall a poor day for raptor migration. Non-raptor Observations: Lots of American Robins and blackbirds heading south. They must know something we don't know. A few crows and a couple of ducks - one Mallard and one Wood Duck. Lots of Juncos around and a few sparrows. Predictions: Not looking much better for tomorrow. Windy and cool again with mix of sun and cloud, possibility of rain. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Keith Dieroff (kdier...@yahoo.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!!! -- 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: birdnews@ontbirds.ca. 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