Holiday Beach Conservation Area Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 02, 2013 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 103 141 3753 Osprey 0 0 57 Bald Eagle 1 2 225 Northern Harrier 4 5 224 Sharp-shinned Hawk 53 70 4581 Cooper's Hawk 13 14 266 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 18 Broad-winged Hawk 2 2 48628 Red-tailed Hawk 4 6 373 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 2 American Kestrel 23 28 918 Merlin 0 2 62 Peregrine Falcon 1 3 23 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 6 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 1 Mississippi Kite 0 0 1 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 7 Total: 204 273 59145 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:30:00 Observation end time: 14:30:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Todd Pepper Observers: Chris Craft, Larry Ludwicki Visitors: The 2 lay-sisters from Madonna House in Windsor were back out to visit for a couple hours. A resident of Amherstburg brough a friend from Calgary out to see raptor migration and 2 visitors from Toronto who are birding in the area for several days spent some time on the tower. Thanks to Larry Ludwicki for doing the public relations while I squinted at TV's and Sharpies flying way out to the north. Weather: A hot, sunny day with not a cloud in the sky all day. The temperature ranged from 17 - 24.6C. The winds shifted all day starting in the W for 3 hours, then NW for 3 hours, then back to W for an hour, then SW for the remainder of the day. The wind was generally light, only a couple times getting above 12 km/hr. Raptor Observations: A total of 204 raptors of 9 species of which almost half were TV's. Every day we see a new Bald Eagle we set a new record and today was no exception with a single adult flying quite high, but directly over the tower. A couple strangler Broad-winged Hawk were mixed in with the TV's. Non-raptor Observations: It was a very active day for non-raptors. It was the largest Blue Jay flight yet this fall at 13,435 birds. Another 12 Chimney Swift and 5 Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Starting to see a few more "blackbirds" with 295 Eurasian Starling, 24 Rusty Blackbird & 24 Red-winged Blackbird. Cedar Waxwing remain strong with another 292 birds. There was a good Warbler flight today with 146 Yellow-rumped Warbler and another 212 I could not nail down to species. The best non-raptor of the day was a single Evening Grosbeak. I was surprised to see it given Ron Pittaway's fall finch forecast. 8 Monarchs today. For the month of September 2013 we have counted 177 Monarchs compared to 495 in September 2012. Predictions: They are calling for a 90% chance of light rain in the morning and a 70% chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. It will be a little bit cooler with the high predicted to be 22C, but with the humidity it might feel like 29. Winds are expected to be out of the E in the a.m., shifting to the S in the p.m. The harriers and peregrines may still fly, but probably not much else. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Todd Pepper ([email protected]) Holiday Beach Conservation Area information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/ Directions to site: 1. Entering Canada from Detroit at the Ambassador Bridge: After Canadian Customs you are on Huron Church Road leading to Highway 401 and Highway 3. Continue east through the construction to HOWARD AVENUE ROUTE 9 SOUTH. Turn RIGHT onto HOWARD ROUTE 9 and 'carefully' follow signs south TO ITS END at County Road 20. Turn RIGHT (east) on County Road 20. Continue east to intersection with Route 50 with Ure's Country Kitchen & Variety on the LEFT. Turn LEFT onto Route 50 south going 1.3 miles. Soon after the left curve on Route 50 is the entrance to the Holiday Beach Conservation Area on the RIGHT. Pay the daily vehicle fee of $10 at gate or at credit card reader. Continue to the Hawk Tower parking at the south end of the park. Park vehicle and walk to the Hawk Tower. 2. West bound on Routes 401 and 3: Take HOWARD AVENUE ROUTE 9 SOUTH. Continue with directions above. Bring with you birding gear: books, binocs, scopes, camera, hat or bill cap, insect repellent, sunscreen, folding chair, (drink and food during non-festival time). Dress for the weather. It is cooler near the lake. (You may purchase an annual pass and electronic fob at the Essex Region Conservation Area building, 360 Fairview W Essex, ON N8M 1Y3, Canada, 519-776-5209, erca.org.) PLEASE OBEY SPEED LIMITS! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
