Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 14, 2013
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 2733 6554 8009
Osprey 1 11 124
Bald Eagle 4 26 141
Northern Harrier 6 60 340
Sharp-shinned Hawk 124 340 4728
Cooper's Hawk 11 28 72
Northern Goshawk 0 0 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 17 24 31
Broad-winged Hawk 1 4 59366
Red-tailed Hawk 72 128 182
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 3 3
American Kestrel 3 94 1540
Merlin 0 4 56
Peregrine Falcon 0 56 78
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
Swainson's Hawk 0 0 2
Total: 2972 7332 74673
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Dave Brown, Jennifer Lyon
Observers: Dave Brown, Dave Verkley, Derek Lyon, Don Taylor, Jim Dunn,
Kathy, Paul Brown, Ronnie Goodhand
Visitors:
A few visitors today along with the folks that helped with the
count...thanks to Jen and Derek, Ronnie, Mary, Dave V., Paul B., Jim, Tom
B. and Don T.
Weather:
Great weather for being outdoors...mostly sunny with some cloud on and off.
Eventually totally blue skies with just the jet contrails to use as sight
references. Winds were fairly steady from the NNE and N. Temp started out
cool at 5C and climbed to 16C.
Raptor Observations:
The first birds of the day were a few Sharpies and a nice male N. Harrier
low over the bean field. With all the sunshine it didn't take long before
the birds started to kettle, circling higher and higher making spotting
them very difficult even when they passed directly overhead.
Total birds for the day was 2,972 of 10 different species.
Lots of kettles of Turkey Vultures (2,733) often with Redtails (72) and
Red-shoulders (17) mixed in with them. The Sharpies (124) and Cooper's
Hawks (11) were both low on the treetops and way up with the larger
flights. A surprise for the day was a very late Broadwing as most are long
gone by this point in the season. We also had a single Osprey at treetop
level, several Bald Eagles (4), N. Harriers (6)...and finally Kestrels (3).
Non-raptor Observations:
The predominant non-raptor species along Hawk Cliff Rd were White-throated
Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglet and
Black-capped Chickadee. Other songbirds reported were Song Sparrow,
Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, Northern Cardinal,
Eastern Towhee and American Goldfinch. Bluejays were on the move today
after about a 10-day "holiday"l European Starlings were also flying
westward in large numbers, although there are still many of both species
hanging around the Cliff, Bluejays in the treeline along the road as well
as in the woods and the ravine, and Starlings in the fields north and south
of the interesection of Dexter / Hawk Cliff Rd.
Also seen today along Fairview Rd near Roberts Ln, were a Chipping Sparrow
"sunning" with several Eastern Bluebirds. As well, observers had some great
sightings at the B&B including 2 Great Blue Herons, a species we have not
seen for several days, Common Loon, Red-breasted Nuthatch and 2 species
that are new on our list for this season, Horned Larks and American
Pipits.
2 Monarch butterflies were reported and a couple of Green Darners were
seen at Sharpie Alley.
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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
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