Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 11, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 3 Turkey Vulture 27 2110 5510 Osprey 0 30 34 Bald Eagle 1 8 43 Northern Harrier 2 22 44 Sharp-shinned Hawk 7 144 477 Cooper's Hawk 3 27 88 Northern Goshawk 0 0 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 7 574 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 7 286 1638 Rough-legged Hawk 0 4 28 Golden Eagle 0 3 7 American Kestrel 0 12 28 Merlin 0 3 11 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 4 Unknown Accipiter 0 8 10 Unknown Buteo 0 3 16 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 2 9 Total: 48 2672 8526 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Sandra Horvath Observers: Frank Horvath, George Holland Visitors: Gord Kozak dropped in and braved the morning cold for a few hours. Others that came by were Linda and Jack Homer, Laurie Thibault and her brood of Hudson, Ethan, Riley and Tessa who were on their weekly hike, Jean Scrivens, Stewart Laughton and Bruiser, and Skip Gillham. Jean and John Beaver stopped by with their grandchildren, Sarah and Anna, who were visiting from New York City. Weather: Heavy, gray, overcast skies and a brisk north wind made for a very quiet morning with few birds. The afternoon looked more promising with a few breaks in the clouds allowing the sun to make brief appearances, however, it was not enough to bring in the raptors in any great numbers. Raptor Observations: Three raptors made the day a bit brighter. At 10:15 AM an adult male Northern Harrier crossed the field and another of the same flew over the quarry at 12:35 PM. One adult Bald Eagle passed by at 12:02 PM. Non-raptor Observations: The White-throated Sparrow made an appearance at the feeders and in the same area Golden-crowned Kinglets and Brown Creepers were feeding. Other birds of interest were 4 Great Blue Herons, flocks of Tree Swallows feeding on the new hatches of insects that formed great columns into the air from the tops of the trees and a lone Wild Turkey that slowly made its way across the vineyard to the south. Predictions: Until the winds change to the south, probably more of the same, though more sunshine, slightly warmer temperatures and a drop in the winds from 25K to around 10K are in the forecast for tomorrow and could bring a few more birds. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Sandra Horvath () 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/
