Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 01, 2011
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 105 105 38124
Osprey 0 0 190
Bald Eagle 0 0 194
Northern Harrier 3 3 1112
Sharp-shinned Hawk 7 7 13086
Cooper's Hawk 4 4 413
Northern Goshawk 0 0 21
Red-shouldered Hawk 15 15 663
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 73020
Red-tailed Hawk 180 180 2175
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 9
Golden Eagle 8 8 155
American Kestrel 0 0 5087
Merlin 0 0 149
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 38
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 0 1
Total: 322 322 134437
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Colin Horstead
Observers: Dave Verkley, Don Campbell, Jim Dunn, Kathy, Mary Carnahan,
Ronnie Goodhand
Visitors:
Bill Mcleod (London) and Bob (Ingersoll) joined the counters today...a big
thanks to them and the counters...Colin, Jim, Mary, Dave V., Ronnie, Don
C., Kathy and Tim.
Weather:
Winds were better today ...light from the WNW and then backing to the W and
finally all the way to the S and picking up slightly. Temp ranged from 5C
to start to a high of 13C. Very high humidity to begin with...almost a mist
in the air and poor visibility. This always slows down any sort of
flight...the raptors normally don't like flying when the humidity is high.
There was little cloud cover for the day. Eventually, the air cleared and
it was a mainly sunny day...with some cloud later in the count period.
Raptor Observations:
The total count for today was 322 birds....of 7 different species. The
flight included a good number of Redtails (180)...along with TVs (105),
Red-shoulders (15), Golden Eagles (8), Sharpies (7), Cooper's (4) and
Harriers (3).
The observers had some spectacular views of the Golden Eagles in the
bright sunlight. Taking a shot at their ages...2 appeared to be adults (or
awfully close to their definitive plumage), 2 were immature / sub-adult
birds exhibiting molt...and the other 3 appeared to be juveniles.
Non-raptor Observations:
There is still a good variety of songbirds at the Cliff, with large numbers
of some species such as Blackbirds (including Red-winged and Rusty
Blackbirds, Cowbirds and Grackles), Robins and Cedar Waxwings. A single
Great Blue Heron was seen flying inland from the Cliff as well. In
addition there were at least 1000 European Starlings in and around the bean
field at the Cliff. Eastern Bluebirds were found along the row of willows
right at the Cliff as well as at the B&B. Bushy areas near the Cliff
yielded an Eastern Towhee, numerous White-throated Sparrows and a few
(mainly immature) White-crowned Sparrows and a Blue-headed Vireo.
Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were found in that location, as
well as up and down the road and in the woods.
Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Downy Woodpeckers and a couple of
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were busy on both sides of the road near the
Cliff. Red-bellied Woodpeckers were found near the mound, at the pond (2)
and at the B&B.
An interesting variety of insects were out and about; those of particular
interest to observers were a Cabbage White Butterfly, several Sulphurs, an
Eastern Comma sunning on tree bark across from the mound and a Monarch
doggedly headed west at tree-top level.
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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/
