Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 23, 2012
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 7 142 161
Bald Eagle 12 109 122
Northern Harrier 24 325 374
Sharp-shinned Hawk 629 2893 2900
Cooper's Hawk 8 54 55
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 1 1
Broad-winged Hawk 2891 36509 36683
Red-tailed Hawk 4 5 7
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 477 2015 2177
Merlin 4 51 52
Peregrine Falcon 2 46 47
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
Total: 4059 42150 42579
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Observation start time: 06:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Dave Brown, Jennifer Lyon
Observers: Chris Burris, Dave Brown, Dave Verkley, Derek Lyon,
Keith Sealy, Mark Cunningham, Mike Irwin, Wayne Parnall
Visitors:
Lot of visitors today as we closed out the second of the Hawk Cliff open
house weekends...as always a big thanks to the H.C. Raptor Banders and the
St. Thomas Field Naturalists for putting together the talks and the booth
this year.
Thanks to Jen and Derek for doing the counter role this week...and to all
the volunteer observers that helped as well.
Weather:
An absolutely beautiful morning with bright sunny skies and cool temp at
10C. With the sun climbing the temp made it to a high of just 14C. Winds
were favourable from the WNW for most of the day till near the end of the
day when it shifted to WSW. Clouds finally started to build in just after
midday and by the end of the day cloud covered most of the sky.
Raptor Observations:
A better than average flight today with a total of 4,059 birds...the bulk
again Broadwings (2,891) passing through mostly high...but with a few low
birds providing some nice looks. The Sharpies (629) put on a good show with
a very consistent flight all day. Ditto for the Kestrels (477) which
started right away as the sun came up. Other species seen included Osprey
(7), Bald Eagle (12) almost all of which appeared to be immatures or
sub-adults, N. Harriers (24), Cooper's Hawks (8), a few Redtails (4) that
were moving through up high with the Broadwings, the first Red-shouldered
Hawk of the season (a great looking adult bird), Merlins (4) and Peregrines
(2)...one very high that headed directly out over the lake...and the second
one low on the edge of the cliff and one of the last birds of the day.
Non-raptor Observations:
Thanks to everyone that provided non-raptor species...including several
warbler species - Am. Redstart, Nashville, Wilson's, Magnolia,
Blackburnian, B-T Green and B-T Blue. Also Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, both
kinglets (GC and RC), Indigo Bunting, Cedar Waxwings, Swainson's Thrush,
Belted Kingfishers, Lincoln Sparrow, Pileated Woodpecker, Warblong Vireo,
Red-eyed Vireo, several Common Loons, Tree Swallows, a flyby of 12 plovers
(thinking American Golden Plover) and 5 White-tailed Deer. Of special
note...the Blue Jays were streaming through in large numbers for the first
3 hours or so with at least 3000+...and then smaller sporadic flights
throughout the rest of the day.
Lots of Monarchs in the air around the observation knoll and all around
the hawkwatch...though we never did any actual count today.
Predictions:
More strong SW winds or Monday...and even with rotten weather there's a
good chance for Peregrines on such winds.
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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/
