Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 07, 2019
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 4
Turkey Vulture 331 1975 4845
Osprey 0 2 2
Bald Eagle 1 4 36
Northern Harrier 5 11 30
Sharp-shinned Hawk 84 124 185
Cooper's Hawk 0 5 39
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 24 407
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 10 102 697
Rough-legged Hawk 0 4 19
Golden Eagle 0 0 5
American Kestrel 2 4 10
Merlin 0 3 6
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 7
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 1
Unknown Buteo 0 5 23
Unknown Falcon 0 0 1
Unknown Eagle 0 1 1
Unknown Raptor 0 3 5
Total: 435 2268 6324
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Rob Spaul
Observers: Catherine Manschot, Jade Simon, John Hogeveen, Matt Mills,
Mourad Jabra
Visitors:
We had a great group of visitors and observers today, that kept things fun
on top of the tower. Everyone got lots of Sharp-shinned Hawk ID practice!
Jade Simon, Joe Ventura, Kayo Roy, Brian Ahara, Phyllis Lambert, Cathernine
Manschot, Matt Mills, Liam Thorne, Josh Thorne, Bob Stamp, John Hogeveeen,
and Mourad Jobra all helped a lot!
Weather:
Overcast for almost the entire day, with the sun trying to break up the
clouds but never quite getting there. Modest E/NE winds throughout the day.
Raptor Observations:
Thermals never really got going today, so most raptors flew pretty low,
with the occasional higher bird working a modest lift off the escarpment.
Sharp-shinned Hawks (84!) and Turkey Vultures dominated the days flight.
There were also a good number of Northern Harriers (4 Adult Males, 1 Adult
Female) for the site, all on clear migratory lines.
Non-raptor Observations:
3 Fox Sparrow continue at the feeders, though today I never saw the Eastern
Towhee that was around for most of the prior week. A lone female Eastern
Bluebird visited in the morning, and a single Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was
around for much of the day. Flyovers of Common Loon, and two afternoon
groups of Bonaparte's Gulls (2, 10) were exciting to see.
Predictions:
It looks like some morning rain and overcast conditions should clear up,
and allow birds through again, but we really need some warm weather for big
days.
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Report submitted by Rob Spaul ()
Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at:
http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/
More site information at hawkcount.org:
http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=389
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: 1) Data in this report is not official until reviewed and
finalized after the end of the season. ©2019 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch.
2) Vehicular traffic into the park is allowed, but visitors are asked to have
their cars outside the gate by 3PM. If parking at the gate DO NOT LEAVE
VALUABLES IN YOUR VEHICLE!!!
_______________________________________________
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