Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 24, 2014
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 69 69
Osprey 0 74 74
Bald Eagle 0 54 54
Northern Harrier 16 306 316
Sharp-shinned Hawk 148 3863 3873
Cooper's Hawk 7 45 46
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 62 70454 70485
Red-tailed Hawk 1 22 22
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 18 1486 1519
Merlin 0 34 35
Peregrine Falcon 1 40 40
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 1 1
Total: 253 76449 76535
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 12:00:00
Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Jim Dunn
Observers: Don Taylor, Keith Sealy, Mary Carnahan
Visitors:
Visitors today included Bruce and Monica Gates (Sudbury)...and thanks to
them for helping scour for birds in the wild blue yonder along with Jim,
Mary, Keith and Don Taylor.
Weather:
What a day!!!!! Strong SE winds, nary a cloud all day, penetrating sunshine
and birds fast and at stratospheric height. Result, we probably missed many
more than we counted.
Raptor Observations:
A decent count today despite the poor wind direction and the tough sky...a
total of 253 birds. The bulk of today's flight was Sharpies (148) and
Broadwings (62) along with some N. Harriers (16), Cooper's Hawks (7), a
long Redtail, Kestrels (18) and a single Peregrine.
Non-raptor Observations:
Today's non-raptor list is somewhat abbreviated due to a severe shortage of
sightings. Jim gets the "early bird prize" for his early sighting of 8
Eastern Bluebirds on a wire at Roberts Ln as he was driving down Fairview
to the Cliff and Mary saw a Pileated Woodpecker that flew in front of her
car just south of the B&B.
Thanks to Keith for doing the Blue Jay watch this morning which yielded a
total of only 2000 and for spotting the only reported Ruby-throated
Hummingbird for today. Other highlights included 1 Wood Duck, a pair of
Northern Cardinals, a Swainson's Thrush, a couple of Robins, 9 Cormorants,
a flock of Canada Geese, countless Ring-billed Gulls plus 1 Herring Gull, 2
Catbirds, a few flocks of Goldfinches, 2 Crows and a Great Blue Heron.
Insects were much easier to find than songbirds today as many Green Darners
and Black Saddlebags were seen milling about in the tobacco field. As
well, observers noted a few 12-spotted Skimmers and 1 very large Darner,
probably a Lance-tipped. In the Butterfly department, few Monarchs were
seen today, although patches of weeds and low grass in sheltered spots
yielded some interesting species including Cabbage White, Orange and
Clouded Sulphurs, several Painted Ladies, 3 Red Admirals, and singles of
Eastern Tailed Blue and Summer Azure.
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks much like today but Fri. and the weekend look promising with
Northerly winds.
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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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