Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: May 15, 2019 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 5 Turkey Vulture 0 109 6309 Osprey 0 2 37 Bald Eagle 0 15 69 Northern Harrier 0 5 55 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 135 1113 Cooper's Hawk 2 10 104 Northern Goshawk 0 0 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 415 Broad-winged Hawk 0 454 3514 Red-tailed Hawk 4 33 1036 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 25 Golden Eagle 0 0 9 American Kestrel 0 4 28 Merlin 0 4 14 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 11 Unknown Accipiter 0 2 11 Unknown Buteo 0 4 52 Unknown Falcon 0 0 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 1 Unknown Raptor 0 1 18 Total: 7 779 12828 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours Official Counter: Mike Street Observers: Visitors: Many dogs, including Buford the Hungarian Vizsla, were walking their humans. Mike Stel of Smithville spent time on the tower. Weather: Warm and partly sunny, with rain moving in at the end of the day. Raptor Observations: Sandy Darling and Bruce Mackenzie helped take down the windbreaks and Daily Data sign on the last day of the official annual Beamer CA spring raptor count for 2019. One local Cooper's Hawk and one local Red-tailed Hawk were seen. The "Gang of Eight" local Turkey Vultures were around all day. No TVs were counted as migrating. Non-raptor Observations: 21 non-raptor species were heard, seen or reported, including a Least Flycatcher and four warblers - Black-throated Green, American Redstart, Black-and-White and Nashville. Best for this observer were a colourful male-female pair of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks foraging together in the wood lot. Predictions: The weather forecasts suggest that raptors are possible for the next week or so. If anyone is available this weekend, Sunday could be a good raptor day and a report would be appreciated. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Mike Street ([email protected]) 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!!! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
