Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 24, 2014 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 87 25621 25741 Osprey 0 35 118 Bald Eagle 0 41 99 Northern Harrier 1 253 646 Sharp-shinned Hawk 48 4276 8852 Cooper's Hawk 2 186 256 Northern Goshawk 1 10 11 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 347 347 Broad-winged Hawk 0 155 70719 Red-tailed Hawk 28 1771 1797 Rough-legged Hawk 0 4 4 Golden Eagle 2 25 25 American Kestrel 0 703 2448 Merlin 0 34 76 Peregrine Falcon 0 117 162 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: 169 33578 111302 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 14:30:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours Official Counter: Jim Dunn Observers: Don Campbell, Keith Sealy, Mary Carnahan Visitors: No visitors today. Thanks to Jim, Mary, Keith and Don C. for hanging in for the day to get a count done. Weather: A cold damp morning with virtually no wind which limited the migration to a few Shins & TV's in the first few hours. As the humidity began to drop around noon, we got a few more TV's and Don & Keith got the first Golden Eagle. The wind eventually did pick up but from the SW and then WSW for the remainder of the day which simply pushed any migrants further inland away from the hawkwatch. Raptor Observations: A total of 169 birds today....with TVs (87), a single N. Harrier, Sharpies (48), a couple of Cooper's Hawks and another lone N. Goshawk, Redtails (28) and just a couple Golden Eagles. Non-raptor Observations: Observers at the south end of Hawk Cliff Rd were greeted by a very loud bird chorus this morning. The predominant sounds coming from the trees were easily identifiable as Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings, but close listening also revealed that there were pockets of many other species lurking lower in the bushes (White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Purple Finch and a single but very chatty Red-bellied Woodpecker) and others singing as they crossed the field in flocks, notably Am. Pipits and Eastern Bluebirds, these flying in flocks of up to 100 birds for a short while around mid-morning. Farther north along the road, Crows and Blue Jays comprised the predominant sound, although again, careful listening turned up Hermit Thrush, DE Juncos, both species of Kinglets, BC Chickadees, Yellow-rumped Warbler, White-breasted Nuthatch and 1 very robust Blue-headed Vireo. And then there were a few species that were mostly quiet but spotted anyway, including House Finch, an American Redstart, Cedar Waxwings,DE Juncos and Northern Cardinal. Seen from the observations spot at Sharpie Alley were a Tree Swallow, a Wood Duck, Canada Geese, Cowbirds and a Grackle. By this afternoon, butterflies (Orange and Clouded Sulphurs, Cabbage Whites, Painted Lady) and dragonflies (a couple of Green Darners and a lot of Meadowhawks) were seen in the field and along the roadside. Observers also dealt with a variety of biting and stinging insects including stable flies, mosquitoes, yellow-jackets, ladybugs and non-biting but nonetheless annoying midges. What an interesting array for late October! Predictions: Saturday is forecast to be nice weatherwise and windy...BUT the winds will be out of the W which will scatter the flight. There will be birds on the move but a large flight right at the hawkwatch is unlikely. Sunday continues to look like a decent flight day but with predominantly NW and WNW winds the flight should be better. ======================================================================== 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
