Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 17, 2012
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 2 4
Turkey Vulture 89 2392 5792
Osprey 1 39 43
Bald Eagle 1 12 47
Northern Harrier 5 41 63
Sharp-shinned Hawk 78 599 932
Cooper's Hawk 2 46 107
Northern Goshawk 1 1 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 18 585
Broad-winged Hawk 244 351 351
Red-tailed Hawk 32 442 1794
Rough-legged Hawk 1 10 34
Golden Eagle 3 7 11
American Kestrel 3 24 40
Merlin 0 6 14
Peregrine Falcon 0 2 4
Unknown Accipiter 0 8 10
Unknown Buteo 3 7 20
Unknown Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 5 12
Total: 464 4013 9867
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Observation start time: 07:45:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8.25 hours
Official Counter: George Naylor
Observers: Brian Hawthorne, Dave Sked, Frank Horvath, Kevin McLaughlin,
Lois Evans, Rhondda James, Rob Waldhuber, Sandra Horvath
Visitors:
Rob Waldhuber, Kevin McLaughlin, Lois Evans, Dave Sked, Sandra & Frank
Horvath, Brian Hawthorne, Kristin Osborne, Freda Papoff, Norman Shipper,
George Holland and Jean Scriven
Weather:
Low of 6C to 12C in afternoon. variable cloud cover during day, from 10% at
start, rising to 50% at 11AM and dropping to 5% by late afternoon. Moderate
westerly winds at force 2, with occasional gusts to force 4.
Raptor Observations:
13 species day, with all 3 accipiter species, both eagles and 4 species of
buteos. The highlights being an adult Bald Eagle, an adult Northern
Goshawk, 3 Golden Eagles and a dark phase Rough-legged Hawk
Non-raptor Observations:
Not much passerine activity. A few Northern Rough-winged Swallows & Barn
Swallows flying over, White-throated Sparrows at the feeders, a Field
Sparrow singing in the field to the south. Golden-crowned Kinglets, and a
few Ruby-crowned Kinglets along the edges of the parking lot, and some
Yellow-rumps and a Pine Warbler in the woods. Perhaps a dozen Common Loon
flyovers during the day
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Report submitted by George Naylor ()
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
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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/
