Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 08, 2014 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 5 17 17 Bald Eagle 0 1 1 Northern Harrier 3 46 56 Sharp-shinned Hawk 41 269 279 Cooper's Hawk 2 11 12 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 3 44 75 Red-tailed Hawk 0 1 1 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 19 158 191 Merlin 0 4 5 Peregrine Falcon 1 2 2 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: 74 553 639 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:00:00 Observation end time: 14:30:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: Mary Carnahan Observers: Bob Johnstone, Clive Hodder, Michael Sandell Visitors: Lots of visitors today, including Anne Guldens, Fiona Street, Gail & Larry Gifford and Ron & Lynda Goodridge. Thanks to all the counters and observers today...Michael Sandell, Bob Johstone, Mary and Clive Hodder. Weather: It was a beautiful day. Temps very moderate, wind from the NE very early, but mostly E and SE later on, very little cloud throughout the day, and most of the clouds were low while the birds were mostly high. Raptor Observations: Flight was consistent at times, with obvious lulls showing up in the hourly totals. Total for the day was 74 birds...with the bulk (no surprise) being Sharpies (41) and Kestrels (19)...along with Ospreys (5), N. Harriers (3), Cooper's Hawks (2), Broadwings (3) and the single young Peregrine. Observers and visitors had some spectacular views of adult and immature / juvenile Bald Eagles throughout the day though none were counted (assumed to be local as they continue to move back and forth along the lakeshore). The best sighting of the day was the juvenile Peregrine which flew west almost directly over the observation mound; then, viewed from the road just behind the knoll and therefore past the observers, the Peregrine did a small turn, looked at the observers on the knoll, then turned westward again and was gone. Awesome! Non-raptor Observations: Passerines noted today were 2 Swainson's Thrush, Northern Flicker, numerous Hummingbirds crossing the field and sparring in jewelweed patches, Double-crested Cormorants, Barn & Bank Swallows, Ring-billed & Herring Gulls, and a Great Blue Heron. Catbirds were meowing from shrubs along the roadside, but otherwise it was pretty quiet. Cedar Waxwings were seen hawking bugs from the treetops. On the insect scene, many black saddlebags crossed the field headed west, along with 12-spotted skimmers and common green darners. Bruce Parker was on hand today tagging monarch butterflies; 23 were counted between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Other butterfly species noted were summer azure, painted lady, orange & clouded sulphurs, and cabbage white. Predictions: The next couple of days are not looking that great for wind direction...but once the predicted strong cold front passes through it's looking much more promising for Thursday and even into the weekend...and NOTE that the first of the 2014 season Hawk Cliff Open House weekends is this coming weekend 13-14. Let's hope the forecast holds for northerly winds. ======================================================================== 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 including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
