Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 06, 2014 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 633 648 768 Osprey 9 19 102 Bald Eagle 0 0 58 Northern Harrier 3 9 402 Sharp-shinned Hawk 6 75 4651 Cooper's Hawk 1 3 73 Northern Goshawk 0 0 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 1 70565 Red-tailed Hawk 0 3 29 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 6 48 1793 Merlin 0 0 42 Peregrine Falcon 19 69 114 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 1 Total: 677 875 78599 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 5.5 hours Official Counter: Jim Dunn Observers: Bob Johnstone, Keith Sealy, Mary Carnahan Visitors: Some folks stopped by today...Murray L. and Jim S. who watched with some of our regular volunteers...Jim, Mary, Keith and Bob J. Thanks to all of them for helping with today's count. Weather: The southerly flow continued today with light S to moderate SW winds. Temp got to a high of 16C under solid overcast for the entire count period. Raptor Observations: Another good day for Peregrine migration on the S and SW winds...so all eyes were focused on the willows from the gap to the lake, with most Peregrines popping up in "the bite" notch in the line of willows near the cliff for a total of 19 counted for the day. Almost all of these were adult birds. Other species seen today included our first large flight of TVs (633) along with a nice number of Osprey (9), N. Harrier (3), Sharpie (6), a single Cooper's Hawk and Kestrels (6). Total birds for the day was 677. Local bald eagles cruised the cliff all day long, back and forth, sometimes 1 or 2, sometimes more; our high count for the day was 5 individuals. TVs peaked during the morning hours and then seemed to move north and eventually they quite migrating for the day or were simply out of range for observers on the knoll. In the last hour we had 3 spectacular Ospreys that cruised through the bite providing great views as they cruised at medium height along the cliff. Non-raptor Observations: Blue Jays were on the move this morning with 5000 noted by 11:00 AM. After that the flight path moved northward making it difficult to impossible to keep track of the numbers. The stream continued throughout the day, but many were low in the ravine, and there were probably more to the north that were not visible to observers on the knoll. From what we could see, another 1000 went between 11 and 2. With all eyes focused on "Peregrine Alley", nobody ventured along the pond path or into the woods looking for passerines today. As a result, we have few species to report, most of which were found beside or directly across the road from the knoll. Highlights from today were 5 Common Loons, 2 Cormorants, 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 Pileated Woodpecker (lead bird in the last hour!), our mascot, the Red-bellied Woodpecker, Winter Wrens right beside the observation knoll, singles of Black-throated Green and Palm Warbler, 1 Tree Swallow, 1 Eastern Towhee, flocks of Canada Geese, many Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, and a few flocks of American Goldfinches. On the insect front, we had 1 Green Darner, 41 Monarch Butterflies and numerous annoying Mosquitoes. Those guys just don't quit! ======================================================================== 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
