Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: May 04, 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 31 128 7638 Osprey 0 1 39 Bald Eagle 0 2 77 Northern Harrier 2 3 63 Sharp-shinned Hawk 55 85 1167 Cooper's Hawk 1 5 138 Northern Goshawk 0 0 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 698 Broad-winged Hawk 13 38 2568 Red-tailed Hawk 0 19 1727 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 46 Golden Eagle 0 0 14 American Kestrel 1 1 38 Merlin 0 0 9 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 5 Unknown Accipiter 1 1 6 Unknown Buteo 0 2 37 Unknown Falcon 0 0 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 2 Unknown Raptor 0 0 6 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Total: 104 286 14281 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 7.75 hours Official Counter: John Stevens Observers: Visitors: Only five all day including Nancy Smith and Cathy Ellis looking for warblers, a couple from Toronto looking for wild flowers and one other gentleman. Weather: Strong southwesterly winds all day, gusty at times. Clear to begin but gradually clouding over with light rain beginning just after 3 EDT and ending by 4 pm. Quite warm for the date but moderated by the breeze. Raptor Observations: Basically a sharpie day with a few BWs and TVs in the morning. Two rather ragged local TVs, the gruesome twosome, have formed a close association, never being more than ten metres apart flying hither and yon in all directions most of the day. Non-raptor Observations: Lots of swallows including a few Purple Martins but no orioles, grosbeaks, tanagers, flycatchers or vireos although a Red-eyed Vireo was spotted nearby. The juncos appear to have departed and replaced by White-throated Sparrows. Predictions: Cooler with much lighter winds from the opposite direction so could get some high buteos. ======================================================================== Report submitted by John Stevens () 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 _______________________________________________ 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
