Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 16, 2009
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 13
Osprey 9 92 98
Bald Eagle 8 80 98
Northern Harrier 45 128 153
Sharp-shinned Hawk 450 2144 2170
Cooper's Hawk 5 37 39
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 8495 20058 20085
Red-tailed Hawk 1 16 21
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 156 1508 1522
Merlin 3 35 38
Peregrine Falcon 0 14 17
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 9172 24112 24254
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Observation start time: 06:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Colin Horstead
Observers: Brian Hawthorne, Dave Verkley, Gil Randell, Jann Randell,
Jim Dunn, Jim Landau, Kathy, Keith Sealy, Maris Apse,
Mark Cunningham, Mary Carnahan, Tom Bolohan, Wayne Parnall
Visitors:
Lots of visitors today...a big thanks again to everyone who helped out
including Gil and Jann Randall from the Ripley Hawkwatch (N.Y.), Jim Landau
from the Hamburg Hawkwatch (N.Y.), Sally and Cathy and the crew (near T.O.)
and many more.
Weather:
A wonderful sunny day again today with a few clouds building by late
morning. Very dry and clear air with little humidity compared to the past
few days. Temp was cooler with the passage of a bit of a cold front last
night hitting a high of 19C. Winds were strong from the NE and ENE for a
portion of the count period then dropping slightly to moderate from the E
and ENE.
Raptor Observations:
A great flight today to start off. Unfortunately, the flight pretty much
died just after noon...even though the winds were still somewhat favourable
and the weather sooooo nice! Total for the day was 9172 raptors...the
majority were Broadwings (8495), our best BW count so far. Other good
numbers of Sharpies (450) and Kestrels (156) and a nice surprise with a
good flight of Harriers (45). It's been a bit troubling that the Harrier
numbers are already lagging again this year, even worse than last fall when
we saw barely half our average number.
Non-raptor Observations:
There continue to be good sightings of passerines as well with a push of
1500+ Blud Jays, Cedar Waxwings, lots of warblers...Nashville, Magnolia,
Am. Redstart, BT Blud and BT Green, Black and White, Wilson's...along with
Indigo Bunting, Am. Goldfinch, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow, Gray
Catbird.
Predictions:
The winds are predicted to be NE at 20kph to start the morning and with low
humidity again...so the flight might get going early as it did today. I
expect we haven't seen the last of the Broadwing flights for the season.
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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:
The Hawk Cliff Hawk watch is located just east of Port Stanley on the cliff
overlooking Lake Erie. Over the years the Hawk Cliff site has grown in
popularity and today it is recognized as one of the prime fall migration
hawk watching destinations in North America.
Every year hundreds of birders (and non-birders!) from Canada, the U.S.
and other countries visit the site. Knowledgeable volunteers are always on
hand to assist visitors with raptor identification and to raise public
awareness on the subject of raptor migration.
Birders can normally expect to see some 15 different raptor species with
typical count totals reaching several thousand birds per day. The count
season is from September 1st to November 30th.
On a few exceptional occasions lucky visitors have witnessed the amazing
spectacle of over 100,000 raptors of various species migrating past Hawk
Cliff in a single day!
Hawk Cliff hawkwatch is a great location for visitors to come to learn
about raptors and their migration. We cater to school groups, and will
arrange to provide special live bird demos for the kids (if possible)
depending on the day's flight.
Please visit the Hawk Cliff Foundation website listed above for more
detailed information and special events.
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
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