Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 11, 2015
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 274 3179 6182
Osprey 4 15 15
Bald Eagle 1 14 63
Northern Harrier 1 20 29
Sharp-shinned Hawk 48 336 372
Cooper's Hawk 1 25 82
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 99 685
Broad-winged Hawk 1 1 1
Red-tailed Hawk 35 472 1384
Rough-legged Hawk 1 14 29
Golden Eagle 0 2 10
American Kestrel 1 12 14
Merlin 0 4 7
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Accipiter 0 5 5
Unknown Buteo 0 0 4
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 1
Unknown Raptor 0 0 2
Total: 369 4200 8887
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 9 hours
Official Counter: Phil Waggett
Observers: Bouwe Bergsma, Brandon Holden, Derek Lyon, Gord Kozak,
Jennifer Lyon, Tom Thomas
Visitors:
Many thanks to all who helped with the count today. Tom Thomas, Jennifer
and Derek Lyon, Gord Kozak, Bouwe Bergsma, and Brandon Holden.
Weather:
Mostly overcast in the morning with gradually clearing skies in the
afternoon. Cool, particularly before lunch with a moderate north-westerly
breeze all day.
Raptor Observations:
Our first broadwing of the year at 2 pm (EST). The flight was dominated by
a late turkey vulture flight which was quite high; spotting the birds
became increasingly challenging as the day progressed. The local TV'S,
red- tails and Cooper's Hawk were quite active today.
Non-raptor Observations:
An interesting variety of spring migrants today with a noticeable uptick in
swallow activity. Tree swallow, purple martin, eastern towhee,
white-throated sparrow, eastern phoebe, common loon, northern flicker, wood
duck,
yellow-rumped warbler, great blue heron, Bonaparte's gull, and eastern
bluebirds were seen.
Predictions:
Fair weather is forecast but clear blue skies and south-west winds make a
difficult count.
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Report submitted by Phil Waggett ()
Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at:
http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/
Site Description:
Hawk migration monitoring at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in
Grimsby, Ontario is conducted by the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). All
counting is done by volunteers. Not all members are counters nor does a
counter have to be a member. Typically one person is the designated counter
for each day but other observers present assist with the spotting and
identification. Counting is done from a steel observation tower with a
wooden floor. For wind protection on cold days, particularly in March, a
black plastic wind guard is installed around the tower's platform. This
platform easily accommodates ten people but on most busy days, no more than
five or six observers would be on it.
The site lies within a publicly accessible property owned by the Niagara
Peninsula Conservation Authority. There is no charge for admittance. The
tower stands in the centre of a mowed area with a gravel ring road near the
outer edge. This provides lots of room to park vehicles (along the road)
and set up lawn chairs, telescopes and cameras. Toilet facilities are
present. During the counting season, the NPH erect a counting board to
display seven day's worth of observation data for the public. The box
enclosing the sign contains brochures and silhouette sheets for the public
as well as bulletin boards with news and historical sighting records.
Directions to site:
To get to Beamer CA, take the QEW to Exit 71/72, follow Christie
St./Mountain St. to the top of the escarpment, turn right on Ridge Road
West, and go 1.6km to Quarry Rd. Turn right on Quarry Rd. and drive 100m to
the conservation area. Parking is normally available inside the park. If
parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuables in your
car.
Please note: Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized
after the end of the season. © 2015 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch
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