Holiday Beach Conservation Area Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 18, 2013 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 1277 15900 19512 Osprey 1 19 76 Bald Eagle 0 59 282 Northern Harrier 0 81 300 Sharp-shinned Hawk 63 759 5270 Cooper's Hawk 14 188 440 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 20 38 Broad-winged Hawk 0 3 48629 Red-tailed Hawk 12 278 645 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 4 6 American Kestrel 4 215 1105 Merlin 2 16 76 Peregrine Falcon 1 10 30 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 Gyrfalcon 0 1 1 Mississippi Kite 0 0 1 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 7 Total: 1375 17553 76425 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Todd Pepper Observers: Jim McCoy, Len Jones Visitors: None Weather: A mostly clear and sunny sky today. The temperature ranged from 10 - 18C. The winds were out of the SW all day ranging from 8 - 25 km/hr. Raptor Observations: It was slow, busy, then slow again today with most of the migration concentrated between 0900 and 1200. A total of 1,375 raptors of 9 species were observed. Of those 93% or 1,277 were TV's. The Sharp-shinned Hawks that could be ID's as to age today were mostly adult. Of the 63 Sharpies counted 62% were adult while 9.5% were immature. Non-raptor Observations: Another slow non-raptor day with 734 birds of 13 species and one group (Warbler SP) counted. Only 479 Blue Jays today. American Crows (4) and Tree Swifts (3) remain notable by their absense so far this year. By this date last year we had counted 5,685 Crow vs. 62 so far this year. It is even more dramatic for Tree Swallow. By this date last year we had counted 47,255, while this year only 1,058. Predictions: The Saturday forecast is calling for an 80 - 90% chance of light rain all day. There will be little range in temperature with a low of 9C and a high of 10C. Winds are expected to be out of the West at 15 km/hr. Harriers and Falcons like those kind of weather conditions. ======================================================================== 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 (west) on County Road 20. Continue west 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
