Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 27, 2010
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 105 731 731
Osprey 5 221 250
Bald Eagle 1 137 137
Northern Harrier 87 740 770
Sharp-shinned Hawk 280 6747 6764
Cooper's Hawk 9 93 94
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 11 11
Broad-winged Hawk 82 98544 98557
Red-tailed Hawk 4 39 53
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 46 3354 3408
Merlin 2 129 131
Peregrine Falcon 1 45 45
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: 622 110792 110952
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Observation start time: 06:30:00
Observation end time: 13:00:00
Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Colin Horstead
Observers: Beth Wigle, Don Wigle, Ernie Gribble, Jim Dunn,
Mary Carnahan, Tom Stewart
Visitors:
Thanks to today's observers...Colin, Jim, Ernie, Mary, Don & Beth, Shay
Visitors: Bill Boid, Tom Stewart (Obs), John Froom (London), Shay, Brian
Coleman (Stratford), Judith Allanson (Ottawa), Janet Bonfford (Leamington),
Gerrie Grainge (Camdbridge), Mike Wolosinecky (UofW), Dawn Hewitt and Bill
Lorton (Bloomington, Indiana)...this last couple were very interested the
hawkwatch but unfortunately arrived just as the rain was starting.
Weather:
The weather was quite good to start with winds strong from the N and cooler
temp of 10C. The winds started to decrease in strength and swung to the NE
with a temp hitting a hih of 16C before the rain started mid-afternoon.
Raptor Observations:
The total count for the day was 622 with 11 different species. The flight
got going early today...so much so that the counters feel they likely
missed quite a few birds between 6 and 6:30 a.m. (EST) before they arrived.
Right as they arrived, several Harriers were passing through and by 7:00
a.m. they'd had 20 Harriers and by 8:00 a.m. they'd had another 24 Harriers
and 110 Sharpies. By day's end the tally was Sharpies (280) and Harriers
(87). Only one Peregrine counted today.
For those hawkwatches to our west...keep an eye out for an unusual raptor
that coulen't be identified by the counters..it was in with a flight of
Broadwings and was buteo like and bigger with longish wings.
Non-raptor Observations:
With strong north and easterly winds, low cloud, and eventually rain,
today's non-raptor count was comparitively low with only 27 species
reported. Just 2 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS were spotted and the flocks
of migrating AM. GOLDFINCH were few and far between. A couple of
non-raptor highlights reported from the knoll were BELTED KINGFISHER,
COMMON LOON, WOOD DUCKS, and again today, several NORTHERN FLICKERS flew
back and forth across the field.Â
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Not too many dragonflies were spotted today and although fewer butterfly
species were noted, hawk watch observers are still seeing a few monarchs
sharing air space with the raptors and other migrating species.
Predictions:
Tuesday looks to be a washout. What we need is a strong SW wind sometime
this week or weekend for a good Peregrine flight.
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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
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