Holiday Beach Conservation Area
Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 25, 2013
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Turkey Vulture 1110 2550 2550
Osprey 1 53 53
Bald Eagle 11 210 210
Northern Harrier 7 203 203
Sharp-shinned Hawk 282 4113 4113
Cooper's Hawk 17 222 222
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 3 15 15
Broad-winged Hawk 247 48596 48596
Red-tailed Hawk 44 329 329
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 2 2
American Kestrel 30 840 840
Merlin 0 60 60
Peregrine Falcon 0 15 15
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 1 1
Mississippi Kite 1 1 1
Swainson's Hawk 0 7 7
Total: 1753 57217 57217
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Observation start time: 06:30:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 9.5 hours
Official Counter: Todd Pepper
Observers: Jim McCoy, Karen Padbury, Larry Ludwicki, Olga Klekner,
Roland Klekner
Visitors:
Just a few short term visitors today.
Weather:
Another beautiful fall day with temperatures ranging from 11-22C, although
it sure felt hotter than that. The humidity was very high in the morning
(fog in other parts of the region, but not at HBMO). The wind blew out of
the NE most of the day, finally succumimg to lake influence at 1400 when it
shifted to the SE (the wind turbines 6 km to the north of the tower were
still facing NE). Winds were generally less than 10 km/hr.
Raptor Observations:
An excellent day for raptors with 1,753 birds of 11 species. Sharp-shinned
Hawks were consistent flyers all day and totalled 282 birds. TV's started
mid-day and we hit our first 1,000+ day at 1,110. We only needed 3 Bald
Eagles to set a new big year record, but we ended the day with 11 Bald
Eagles smashing the old big year record of 201 and setting the bar at 210
with 2 months still to go. The big excitement of the day was an adult
MISSISSIPPI KITE at 11:13EST. It was in a kettle with a mixed flock of
TV's, Red-tails, a Red-shouldered, Broad-wings and Sharpies. I made a
comment about the shape of the wings and two others on the tower
immediately said "what's that bird with the white head". This is only the
second record for a Mississippi Kite at HBMO in 40 years, the last (first)
being 9/08/2010.
Non-raptor Observations:
Our attention was focused on raptors today, but some highlights of other
species include: Spotted Sandpiper - 1; Pectoral Sandpiper - 7; Northern
Flicker - 12; our first big Blue Jay day with 2,764; American Goldfinch -
111. Noted by their absence or small numbers today were: Chimney Swift;
Ruby-throated Hummingbird; Swallows; and, Cedar Waxwings. Perhaps we have
not been looking high enough as today we had 42 Monarchs, many of them
flying high with the raptors.
Predictions:
It is supposed to be another day like today with temperatures between 11 &
25C; mostly sunny, and winds out of the NE in the a.m. and E in the p.m. in
the 10 - 15 km/hr range.
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Report submitted by Todd Pepper ([email protected])
Holiday Beach Conservation Area information may be found at:
http://hbmo.ca/
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