Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 11, 2011
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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 2
Osprey 5 44 59
Bald Eagle 2 12 12
Northern Harrier 41 124 157
Sharp-shinned Hawk 190 1969 2002
Cooper's Hawk 1 19 19
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 15 271 304
Red-tailed Hawk 0 1 4
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 181 910 1008
Merlin 2 14 24
Peregrine Falcon 1 1 1
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 3365 3592
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Observation start time: 06:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 9 hours
Official Counter: Colin Horstead
Observers: Bill Reid, Ernie Gribble, Jim Dunn, Keith Sealy,
Mark Cunningham, Mary Carnahan, Ronnie Goodhand,
Tom Bolohan, Wayne Parnall
Visitors:
Quite a few visitors today including Sean Allott, Scott Jonston
(London)...Rob Fletcher, Jen and Emily Marshall (Thedford)...Rose and her
sister Janet (London and Sarnia). Thanks to all our counters today...Colin
H., Jim D., Ernie G., Keith S., Wayne P., Mary C., Ronnie G., Tom B., Bill
R. and Mark C.
Weather:
Lot of unusual clouds...threatening rain and even thunderstorms...but it
never did rain. Very light and variable winds for the first several hours
then switching to be mainly SW for the last 4 hours or so. Temps ranged
from 15C to 22C.
Raptor Observations:
A decent fligth today with a total of 438 birds tallied. The highlights
today were a good number of Harriers (41) and a lone Peregrine right at the
end of the day...the first for the season. The live bird demos were very
good today with an adult Redtail, a Harrier, Sharpies and Kestrels....much
to the delight of the crowd of visitors. Other species counted today were
Sharpies (190) and Kestrels (180) along with Broadwings (15), Bald Ealges
(2), Merlin (2) and a lone Cooper's Hawk. Most of the Kestrels were fairly
close to the cliff while the Sharpies were almost all coming right down
Sharpie Alley.
Non-raptor Observations:
The only Thrush species reported this morning was an American Robin, and
Warbler sightings were limited to Magnolia, Chestnut-sided and Am.
Redstart. Today's Vireos included Red-eyed and Philadelphia. Gray
catbirds are still hanging around but Blue Jays chose today to begin their
westward migration with a flock of 20 spotted from the mound early in the
morning and Am. Goldfinches seem to be on the move as well. Over the last
couple of days, the number of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds has been
decreasing, while observers have reported an increase in Black-capped
Chickadee action along the roadside, in the fields, and along the pathways.
This afternoon, observers found a variety of butterflies including many
Monarchs, a single Viceroy, still lots of Cabbage Whites plus Orange and
Clouded Sulphurs, Eastern Tailed Blues, a single Summer Azure, an Eastern
Comma and 1 Silver-Spotted Skipper.
Predictions:
Predicted SW winds may help bring along the Kestrels and Osprey at the
cliff edge. It looks to be a nice day weatherwise with likely decent
thermals so there may be some Broadwings moving as well.
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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
_______________________________________________
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/
