Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch
Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 09, 2017
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 3 8 9
Bald Eagle 2 10 13
Northern Harrier 16 22 36
Sharp-shinned Hawk 93 118 141
Cooper's Hawk 1 2 3
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 2 4
Broad-winged Hawk 606 609 634
Red-tailed Hawk 0 3 5
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 69 132 167
Merlin 4 11 13
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1
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
Swainson's Hawk 1 1 1
Total: 795 919 1027
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Observation start time: 05:45:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 8.5 hours
Official Counter: Dave Brown
Observers: Bob Johnstone, Cary Graham, Chris Burris, Gord Kozak,
Keith Sealy
Visitors:
Thanks to everyone who helped with today's count... Bob, Chris, Gord, Cary,
Keith and Joe... and Marcus and Alex from Waterloo along with several of
our visitors (and there were lots today!).
Weather:
Not a cloud in the sky for most of the day till the last hour. We had light
to moderate NE and NNE winds for the day. Cool start at 6C and getting to a
high of 20C.
Raptor Observations:
Wow! Today ended up being a lot better than expected with a total of 795
birds.
The highlight was a juvenile SWAINSON'S HAWK that appeared over the field
right above us not more than a 150 ft up (1:26 p.m.)... circling several
times to gain height and kettling with a couple of Redtails, a Sharpie and
a young Bald Eagle giving us great views and a perfect comparison. The bird
gained some good height right at the lake shore and then went into a power
dive to the west. Heads up to Holiday Beach and Detroit River hawk watches
for this bird!
The bulk of today's flight was Broadwings (606) along with Sharpies (93)
and Kestrels (69) along with some nice N. Harriers (16), Osprey (3), Bald
Eagles (2 - counted because they were immature / sub-adults that appeared
to be migrating through), a lone Cooper's Hawk and Merlins (4).
Non-raptor Observations:
Another highlight today was a beautiful Red-headed Woodpecker that posed in
the sunlight on the trees directly across the roadway behind us. Other
non-raptors included several warbler species... Nashville, Bay-breasted,
Canada, Blackburnian, Am. Redstart, Chestnut-sided, Northern Parula,
Cape-May, Black-throated Green, Magnolia, Tennessee, Black and White and
Blackpoll. Other species... Downy, Red-bellied, Hairy, N. Flicker and YB
Sapsucker, BG Gnatcatcher, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, House Wren, Gray
Catbirds, Am. Robin, Swainson's Thrush, BC Chickadees, N. Cardinals, Am.
Crows, Mourning Dove, Rock Pigeons, DC Cormorants, Canada Geese, Great Blue
Heron, Common Loons, Eastern Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher and finally a
couple of Common Nighthawks.
Predictions:
Well the winds are predicted to be light from the NE to start the day but
unfortunately, are going to swing E by the afternoon. There will likely be
a flight but not as good as today's.
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Report submitted by Dave Brown ([email protected])
Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at:
http://www.ezlink.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm
More site information at hawkcount.org:
http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=392
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