Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 22, 2011
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 11 49 51
Osprey 1 90 105
Bald Eagle 1 84 84
Northern Harrier 4 344 377
Sharp-shinned Hawk 171 3819 3852
Cooper's Hawk 0 37 37
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 7 71870 71903
Red-tailed Hawk 0 14 17
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 109 2121 2219
Merlin 3 31 41
Peregrine Falcon 1 11 11
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
Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1
Total: 308 78471 78698
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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: Bouwe Bergsma, Don Taylor, Jim Dunn, Kathy, Keith Sealy,
Mary Carnahan, Steve Birch, Wayne Parnall
Visitors:
A couple of visitors today...Ray Blower (Acton) and Bouwe Bergsma and his
wife Karen. Thanks to Colin, Jim, Mary, Don, Wayne, Steve, Kathy and Keith
for doing today's count...and certainly Bouwe and Ray for helping out
spotting as well.
Weather:
A bit humid to start..then the air dried out somewhat...no cloud cover for
3 hours...and then building to almost 95%. Temp ranged from 13C to 22C.
Winds were light W then SW and never got quite as strong as predicted.
Raptor Observations:
Today's flight was basically Sharpies passing along Sharpie Alley...versus
Kesterls riding the wind along the cliff. Total raptors for the day
...308...of which Sharpies (171), Kestrels (109), TV's (11), Osprey (1),
Bald Eagle (1), Harriers (4) , Broadwings (7), Merlins (3) and a lone
Peregrine.
Non-raptor Observations:
Today's interesting sighting...clouds of insects -- in fact, funnel clouds
of insects around trees, grassy areas, above bushes, etc. Indeed, when
Mary headed down to the cliff, she says she had to walk through almost a
wall of them. They looked like mosquitoes, but slightly bigger...obviously
some sort of fall hatch...just not sure what type.
Streams of migrating Blue Jays dominated the field and smaller flocks
rested / snacked in several spots along the road during the first part of
this morning's watch. They were seen foraging on the road up to about 400
metres from the Cliff. The total Blue Jay count for today was 3000.
The north end of Hawk Cliff Rd, especially between Sharpie Alley and the
ravine was alive with songbirds busily feeding -- and singing! Sorting out
exactly which and how many species were present, and which songs we heard,
was quite a challenge. Of the mass of wingbars, eyerings, legs and
undertail coverts, the following are some highlights:
13 Watbler species including No. 25 for this season, an Ovenbird.
3 Vireos including Blue-headed, Red-eyed and several Philadelphias
Least and Great-crested Flycatcher
Hermit & Gray-cheeked Thrush, plus American Robins. (Eastern Bluebirds
were seen migrating across the field as well).
1 Scarlett Tanager
Lots of Black-capped Chickadees and at least 12 Gray Catbirds.
Back at the Cliff, the Monarch Butterfly migration is on again after a
slow start earlier in the week, 2 Caspian Terns as well as many Ring-billed
and Herring Gulls cruised the cliff, and 2 Barn Swallows plus a single
Chimney Swift were spotted by the folks on the mound.
Predictions:
Tomorrow does not look promising with 100% humidity and likely rain through
the day. Even the weekend looks somewhat unsettled...so it may be a tough
few days for any kind of raptor migration.
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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/
