Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 06, 2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 2 Osprey 3 5 20 Bald Eagle 0 0 0 Northern Harrier 14 29 62 Sharp-shinned Hawk 290 460 493 Cooper's Hawk 2 3 3 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 34 36 69 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 3 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 92 207 305 Merlin 3 6 16 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 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: 438 746 973 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 05:30:00 Observation end time: 13:30:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Colin Horstead Observers: Ches Caister, Jim Dunn, Kathy, Keith Sealy, Mary Carnahan Visitors: A few visitors today...and hopefully lots more for the coming weekend. Thanks to everyone that helped with today's count ...Colin H., Jim D., Mary C., Kathy, Keith S. and Ches C. Weather: Temp cooler...varying from 10C to a high of 17C. Winds were strong from the N and NE thourghout the day...and the cloud cover was extremely variable (including some really unique layers) from 50-90%. Humidity was quite low even early on...which is always a good sign for good raptor movements. Raptor Observations: An excellent flight today for the 6th of Sept....a total of 438 raptors tallied. As expected, the bulk of the flight was Sharpies (290) and Kestrels (92). The observers reported having one stretch over a few minutes where 20 Sharpies crossed through at Sharpie Alley literally "beak to tail"....which is why we call it "Sharpie Alley"! :) Today's flight also included a small push of Broadwings (34) with the first being observed starting mid-morning A check of the thermal updraft velocities (TUV) for the area in and around Hawk Cliff indicates there were indeed good thermals rising between 400-500 feet per minute. Other species observed were Osprey (3), Harriers (14), Cooper's (2) and Merlin (3)...one of which provided the counters with a great look as it rocketed overhead. Non-raptor Observations: Warbler species number 22, Yellow-Rumped, was spotted this morning near the mound. Other warblers seen today were Magnolia, Black-throated Green, Nashville, with multiple sightings of each. In addition observers reported a couple of Blackburnian and a single Pine Warbler. A number of Red-eyed Vireos were found grabbing bugs in the bushes along the cliff, and numerous Swainson's Thrush were noted in several locations, including along the road at Sharpie Alley. Other noteworthy species included Bank Swallows, with a few foraging near the cliff along with many Barn Swallows, a few Purple Martins and 2 Chimney Swifts. The "early birds" today were 1 Common Loon, 6 Wood Ducks, a single Black Duck and a Great Blue Heron flying along the cliff. As well, a phoebe was seen near the pond as were 3 eastern wood-peewees that were calling back and forth. Some butterflies were seen in some of the more sheltered weed patches, including monarch, cabbage white, orange sulphur, common buckeye, Juvenal's duskywing, and eastern tailed blue. Predictions: If the rain is fairly scattered and doesn't form a "block" to the east of Hawk Cliff ...and winds remain strong from the NE...then I think we'll see more good flights this week. I'm also encouraged right now looking ahead to the weekend if the forecast holds for sunnier weather and moderate winds from the NE and E. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Dave Brown ([email protected]) Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at: http://www.ezlink.on.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
