Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 28, 2025
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 1 1
Turkey Vulture 83 3115 6581
Osprey 0 23 28
Bald Eagle 1 30 76
Northern Harrier 1 19 30
Sharp-shinned Hawk 12 659 779
Cooper's Hawk 0 47 98
American Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 17 232
Broad-winged Hawk 9 1962 1962
Red-tailed Hawk 6 300 705
Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 9
Golden Eagle 1 1 4
American Kestrel 0 20 23
Merlin 0 7 9
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 4
Unknown Accipitrine 0 11 13
Unknown Buteo 2 9 21
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 2 2
Unknown Raptor 0 3 5
Total: 115 6230 10583
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Observation start time: 07:30:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 9 hours
Official Counter: John Stevens
Observers: Bouwe Bergsma, Gianpiero Tondina, John Niewiadomski,
Kim Dunlop
Visitors:
A few including Kim Dunlop's husband whose name I didn't get.
Weather:
Lovely
Raptor Observations:
Slow for the date. Many birds were quite high and others were well north
because of a southerly wind. Just the odd BW. No migrant TVs until
midday.
Non-raptor Observations:
Four Sandhill Crane together but not much else of interest aside from more
Ravens than Crows.
When the wind decreased in the last half hour, the midges drove me from the
tower.
Predictions:
Weather is warm with a mix of sun and rain, the kind of day that often
produces a good flight.
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Report submitted by John Stevens ([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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