Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 11, 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 8 53 57 Bald Eagle 7 16 16 Northern Harrier 12 85 90 Sharp-shinned Hawk 113 442 450 Cooper's Hawk 2 6 6 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 382 393 393 Red-tailed Hawk 7 7 7 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 98 710 719 Merlin 2 11 11 Peregrine Falcon 2 15 15 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 Total: 633 1738 1764 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 14:30:00 Total observation time: 7.5 hours Official Counter: Jim Dunn, Mary Carnahan Observers: Cary Graham, Don Campbell, Keith Sealy, Mary Carnahan Visitors: Many thanks to Visitors, Bill Smith, Ron Campeau, Mike Rowe and Marc Lichtenberg, as well as regulars Don Campbell, Keith Sealy, Cary Graham and Mary Carnahan. Weather: A vwry pleasant day overall, with very little cloud cover to start, NE winds and increasing cloud as the day went on. However, we didn't get rain until the very end of the 1:00 hour, and that was only a sprinkle. Cloud cover was 100% by then, though, and for mid-afternoon, it was pretty dark. Then at the top of the hour, it looked like the cloud was clearing again, just enough to let a few last-minute migrants blow through, then the rain began, this time in earnest. Temperatures ranged from 14 C. to 24 C., then slid back to 22 degrees Celsius. Raptor Observations: What a day! We tallied 633 birds today composed of 10 species including Osprey (8), Bald Eagle (7), Northern Harrier (12), Sharp-shinned Hawks (113), Cooper's Hawk (2), Broad-winged Hawk (382), Red-tailed Hawk (7), American Kestrel (98), Merlin (2) and Peregrine Falcon (2). Almost all of the birds were very high up, a result of the easterly component of today's wind, although in the last hour, the flight began to descend to lower altitudes, making viewing much easier. We had a few sprinkles of rain right at the end of the hour, and clouds had thickened making it very dark around 2:00 PM, so we decided to shut things down. Then suddenly, several raptors decided to make a last dash across the field. Another half hour's watch yielded 30 more birds, some right at eye level and even the last 6 AKs were flying about halfway up the field instead of their usual route at this time of the year which is along the cliff. Non-raptor Observations: Things were very quiet along the roadside and in the woods. One observer ventured along the pond path this afternoon, but the only sighting there was an immature Bald Eagle, plus a few Monarch Butterflies. Highlights from today were Great Blue Heron, 15 Wild Turkeys in the field just north of the ravine, a raucous Caspian Tern, Red-eyed and Philadelphia Vireo in the ravine, Tree Swallows plus Am. Goldfinches flying westward in flocks across the field and a Pileated Woodpecker that flew across the knoll. Eastern Bluebirds were seen on Fairview Rd on the way to the cliff this morning early (just north of Sparta Ln), and later, Bluebirds were heard calling near the observation knoll, probably in the field just west of the parking area. Predictions: Northerly winds are expected throughout the weekend with considerable cloud to start on Saturday morning, brightening somewhat by afternoon. With the wind speed predicted to be 15 tp 20 km / hr, and mainly from the north, it should be a great weekend for hawkwatching, especially for those Broadwings! ======================================================================== 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
