Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: May 08, 2017 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 4 Turkey Vulture 22 65 5900 Osprey 1 1 43 Bald Eagle 0 0 43 Northern Harrier 1 4 67 Sharp-shinned Hawk 32 62 1109 Cooper's Hawk 4 7 95 Northern Goshawk 0 0 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 306 Broad-winged Hawk 19 24 3287 Red-tailed Hawk 6 9 1222 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 21 Golden Eagle 0 0 8 American Kestrel 0 0 60 Merlin 0 0 14 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 4 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 4 Unknown Buteo 0 0 39 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 20 Total: 85 173 12247 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: John Stevens Observers: Bouwe Bergsma Visitors: Chiara Williamson and Eric Tincomb Weather: Mostly clear and quite cool for the date. A moderate west to northwest wind made a lined jacket necessary on the tower. Raptor Observations: Local TVs very active as was a RT that patrolled to the north most of the day. A Merlin was sighted briefly about 12:30 EST but didn't come through, just went back down toward the ravine. Non-raptor Observations: Very, very few migrants. Only one warbler (YERU), plus catbird, Great-crested Flycatcher, Eastern Towhee and a House Wren Predictions: Weather should be similar but with lighter winds from the south. Birds may be higher. ======================================================================== 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. ©2017 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists