Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 16, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 505 876 876 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 3 23 23 Northern Harrier 2 11 11 Sharp-shinned Hawk 30 74 74 Cooper's Hawk 6 27 27 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 60 444 444 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 154 841 845 Rough-legged Hawk 0 5 6 Golden Eagle 0 2 2 American Kestrel 0 7 7 Merlin 0 4 4 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1 Unknown Buteo 4 5 5 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 4 4 Total: 764 2324 2329 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 16:45:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: Mike Street Observers: Alf Senior, George Holland, Tom Thomas Visitors: Visitors: Our youngest ever member, 3-year old Ty Daniels and mother Debbie; Barry Cherriere, Josh Kaell, Jan & Ivars Kops, Jane Scriven, Peter Thoem and many others out on a beautiful almost-spring day. Helping with the count: Thanks to Tim King, Albert Kuhnigk, Stuart Laughton, Kevin McLaughlin, Owen Novoselak Weather: A bit hazy to start, light winds with a northern component after 10AM, temperatures warming to +15C and bright blue skies with some puffy clouds to the south later in the afternoon. Raptor Observations: The flight really didn't get going until 11AM EST, but after that the birds kept coming, especially the TVs. Best raptor of the day, though not seen at Beamer CA, was a Black Vulture seen and photographed by Stuart Laughton about a kilometre WEST (darn!!) of Beamer. Non-raptor Observations: Other species seen: Pine Siskins; Chipping, Song and White-throated Sparrows; Brown Creeper; Eastern Phoebe; Belted Kingfisher AND an Eastern Screech Owl that called periodically for over an hour! Predictions: Good chance that the continuing warm air flow from the south will bring many more birds on Saturday. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Mike Street ([email protected]) Beamer Conservation Area, Grimsby, ON information may be found at: http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/ Site Description: Hawk migration monitoring at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby, Ontario is conducted by the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). All counting is done by volunteers. Not all members are counters nor does a counter have to be a member. Typically one person is the designated counter for each day but other observers present assist with the spotting and identification. Counting is done from a steel observation tower with a wooden floor. For wind protection on cold days, particularly in March, a black plastic wind guard is installed around the tower's platform. This platform easily accommodates ten people but on most busy days, no more than five or six observers would be on it. The site lies within a publicly accessible property owned by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. There is no charge for admittance. The tower stands in the centre of a mowed area with a gravel ring road near the outer edge. This provides lots of room to park vehicles (along the road) and set up lawn chairs, telescopes and cameras. Toilet facilities are present. During the counting season, the NPH erect a counting board to display seven day's worth of observation data for the public. The box enclosing the sign contains brochures and silhouette sheets for the public as well as bulletin boards with news and historical sighting records. Directions to site: To get to Beamer CA, take the QEW to Exit 71/72, follow Christie St./Mountain St. to the top of the escarpment, turn right on Ridge Road West, and go 1.6km to Quarry Rd. Turn right on Quarry Rd. and drive 100m to the conservation area. Parking is normally available inside the park. If parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuables in your car. Please note: Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized after the end of the season. © 2012 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch
_______________________________________________ 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/
