Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 11, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 12 5641 6002 Osprey 0 32 350 Bald Eagle 0 67 269 Northern Harrier 0 238 731 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 2799 8791 Cooper's Hawk 1 157 309 Northern Goshawk 0 4 8 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 140 141 Broad-winged Hawk 0 16 34424 Red-tailed Hawk 1 930 1099 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 1 6 6 American Kestrel 0 457 3872 Merlin 0 50 162 Peregrine Falcon 0 58 113 Unknown 0 18 93 Prairie Falcon 0 1 1 Total: 16 10615 56372 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:30:00 Observation end time: 11:45:00 Total observation time: 2.25 hours Official Counter: Alf Rider Observers: Visitors: Thanks to Alf Rider and to Sandy Irvine (a falconer from the UK) along with his son-in-law David Bevan for taking a stab at doing the count on a not very promising day. :) Weather: Lots of cloud today and a bit of drizzle. NE and E winds with a temp in the mid teens. Raptor Observations: Only a few raptors tallied in just a couple of hours of observation. Highlight was another juvenile Golden Eagle. As a side note...the 1,361 Sharpies counted on Sunday brings our Sharpie total for this year to 8,790. This breaks the previous one-year record for Sharpies recorded at the Cliff in 2003 when 8,461 were seen...and there's still the rest of October and November to go! Let's hope that analysis of these counts indicates that the trends for our raptor populations are headed in the right direction. :) Non-raptor Observations: About 30 Swallows, most likely all TREES. 150 BLUE JAYS and 2 KINGFISHERS flying together. Predictions: More rain predicted for Wednesday morning thru to the early afternoon. Winds light from the E. Will not likely result in much of a flight. However, at this point the next cold front looks like it will move through just before the weekend...which could bring another good push of birds. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Dave Brown ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at: http://www.ezlink.on.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm Site Description: Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch: Oldest Hawkwatch in Ontario - since 1931 - located just east of Port Stanley on the cliff overlooking Lake Erie Directions to site: >From east 401, take the Highbury south cut off at London, follow Highbury (Hwy 30) south to St. Thomas. Highbury changes into South Edgeware at a large curve in the road to the west. Follow South Edgeware west to the first set of traffic lights - Burwell Road, turn left (south) and stay on this road. It becomes Fairview Ave (Regional Road 22), which runs directly into Hawk Cliff Road. You will see a sign for Hawkes Cliff Farm, where they sell fresh vegetables and a gravel road just beyond sign. Just continue down gravel road to viewing area. >From west 401, take the Highway # 4 (Colonel Talbot Rd.) exit south, through Talbotville, road now is Sunset Rd. continue towards St. Thomas; you will come to a veer in the road, straight up to St. Thomas, veer to the right for Port Stanley, follow Highway 4, now Sunset to Port Stanley. As you approach Port Stanley you will come to a large curve in the road with a sign saying East St, to the left. Take East St., and follow it to the first road left, (opposite Port Stanley Water Tower) Dexter Line. Follow Dexter Line approximately 2 km. and turn right down gravel road at Hawkes Cliff Farm, and follow gravel road to viewing area
