Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 16, 2015
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 20 4274 7277
Osprey 1 25 25
Bald Eagle 1 21 70
Northern Harrier 2 36 45
Sharp-shinned Hawk 29 861 897
Cooper's Hawk 3 46 103
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 111 697
Broad-winged Hawk 24 387 387
Red-tailed Hawk 6 736 1648
Rough-legged Hawk 0 26 41
Golden Eagle 0 5 13
American Kestrel 1 20 22
Merlin 0 5 8
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Accipiter 0 5 5
Unknown Buteo 0 30 34
Unknown Falcon 1 1 1
Unknown Eagle 0 1 2
Unknown Raptor 0 2 4
Total: 89 6594 11281
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:15:00
Total observation time: 7.25 hours
Official Counter: Sandy Darling
Observers: Barb Charlton, Dave Sked, Glenn Barnett, Peter Booker,
Tom Thomas
Visitors:
Chris Cheatle, Barb Charlton, Andy Morgan, Joanne Redwood, Keith Park, Kim
Dunlop (carrying young Hunter), Glenn Barnett, Mike Street, Bill Cuddy,
Brian Mills, Bruce & Laurie MacKenzie, Jim Hart, Wayne Renaud, John
Hogveen. At one point we had a quorum for an executive meeting. Peter
Booker, Tom Thomas and Dave Sked helped with the count from the second hour
to the end.
Weather:
Cool winds from the lake with wispy clouds most of the day that made for
good viewing. The forecasted cold front started to be visible in
mid-afternoon and rain started at 3:15 EST.
Raptor Observations:
The forecasted cold front brought many visitors, but few birds
unfortunately because the sky was excellent for viewing. 10 species with
low numbers.
Non-raptor Observations:
Birds new since one week earlier included Fox Sparrow, Eastern Towhee,
Common Loon (between 5 & 10), Wild Turkey and two flights of Bonaparte
Gulls.
Predictions:
Weather should be good, but it depends on whether there are birds in the
pipeline. In the last 15 minutes we had our only kettle of Broad-wings, so
there may be some following the front.
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Report submitted by Sandy Darling ()
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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