Holiday Beach
Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 15, 2006
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Turkey Vulture 1 24 24
Osprey 3 35 35
Bald Eagle 0 28 28
Northern Harrier 18 213 213
Sharp-shinned Hawk 226 1452 1452
Cooper's Hawk 12 55 55
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 549 2220 2220
Red-tailed Hawk 11 81 81
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 112 837 837
Merlin 2 22 22
Peregrine Falcon 1 13 13
Unknown
Swainson's Hawk 1 1 1
Total: 936 4981 4981
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Bob Pettit
Observers: Al Wormington, Claude Radley, Fred Urie, Steve Greidanus,
Tim Smart
Visitors:
People from New York, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Thunder Bay,
Ontario, and Great Britain.
A big Hello to Kentuckian Darlea Graham, Debra Hausroth, Mary Ann Barnett,
Wendy Graham, and Dory Wittsett (Ohio).
Georgia Reid added to our count and our visitor list.
Thanks also for a visit (although too short) from Al Wormington.
Weather:
Overcast with sporadic breaks showing some blue sky. Wind N most of the day
becoming E than SW at close of the count. Wind speed varied from 6-12 km/hr
to almost calm at the close. Temp 15-21 degrees C. No precipitation and
visibility 15 km. Pressure steady at 30.15 in Hg.
Raptor Observations:
With the low ceiling of about 2,000 ft. the heat generation was not so
good. Despite this many Broad-wings were very high streaming in from the
off the lake. This meant that there was some thermal development and the
the slight north winds pushed then southward with their tops going out
over the lake. The BWs in these tops needed to find a new thermal to ride
up and streamed WNW off the lake in pursuit of the next one. Occasionally
there might be a Sharpie, Cooper's, Kestrel, or Red-tail in the group too.
In one stream Time Smart spotted a dark -morph Swainson's Hawk the first
for the season.
These thermals were abundant only when the fractional blue sky was
evident.
Birds were mixed from north to south. The flight path was very broad with
some birds going around north of the marsh area, some passing directly
over it but north of the tower and others over the tower or along the
shore south of the tower.
The birds were also in layers. During most hours the birds could be seen
flying all the way from off of the marsh to several 100 feet above in
streams or in ones and twos..
Non-raptor Observations:
Many warblers were migrating overhead and in the willows and capitallas to
the west of the tower and many were seen mixed with other small species.
Nashville Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler,
Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler,
American Redstart, and Wilsons Warbler.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Downy Woodpecker, Ruby-throated Hummingbird also in
the shore vegetation.
Cliff Swallow were thought to be present in the early hours of the count
while the Purple Martin, N. Rough-winged Swallow, and Bank Swallow came
together and are top notch birders.
Predictions:
Saturday
Becoming cloudy in the morning. Fog patches dissipating early in the
morning. High 23. UV index 5 or moderate.
Saturday night
Clearing in the evening. Fog patches developing overnight. Low 16.
Sunday
Sunny. High 29.
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Report submitted by Bob Pettit ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Holiday Beach Migration Observatory information may be found at:
http://hbmo.org/
Directions to site:
Entering Canada from Detroit at the Ambassador Bridge:
After Canadian Customs, stay left 50 yards, passing over the railroad
tracks.
You are now on Huron Church Road leading to Highway 401 and Highway 3.
Continue east 3.8 miles to the intersection with Todd and Cabana roads. Go
through the intersection, staying to the right. In less than 100 yards the
main road splits; 401 and 3 continue to the left as the main road and
Huron Church narrows and angles to the right. Follow Huron Church right
for 0.5 miles to Disputed Road. After anglign a right turn onto Disputed
Road, travel south. At 4 miles Disputed Road intersects with Townline
Road, and the name changes to Concession 5. Continue south 5 miles and
Concession 5 "T"'s with South Townline Road. Turn left and travel east 0.2
miles, turning right (south) onto Concession 6. Continue south for 3.4
miles to the intersection with Highway 20 at Malden Centre in the town of
Amherstburg. There is a restaurant/convenience/gas store on the southeast
corner of the intersection. Go through the intersection south onto Route
50 for 1.3 miles. The entrance to the Holiday Beach Conservation Area is
on the right. Pay entry fee and continue to the Hawk Tower at the south
end of the park. Park vehicle and walk to the tower.
West bound on Routes 401 and 3
Howard Avenue, Route 9, intersects Routes 401 and 3 east of Windsor. Take
Howard Avenue south to Highway 20 ("T"'s) and turn left (west) traveling
to Malden Centre in the town of Amherstburg. A restaurant/convenience/gas
store is on the left. Turn left (south) on to Route 50 for 1.3 miles; the
entrance to HBCA is on the right.
