Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS
Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 30, 2026
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 848 4010 4018
Osprey 4 5 5
Bald Eagle 1 41 41
Northern Harrier 1 8 9
Sharp-shinned Hawk 50 95 95
Cooper's Hawk 16 66 66
American Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 3 346 346
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 23 270 270
Rough-legged Hawk 0 4 4
Golden Eagle 0 2 2
American Kestrel 0 9 9
Merlin 0 3 3
Peregrine Falcon 0 2 2
Unknown Accipitrine 2 6 6
Unknown Buteo 5 21 21
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 2 11 11
Total: 955 4899 4908
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 16:15:00
Total observation time: 9.25 hours
Official Counter: Simon Carter
Observers: Dan Birkenbergs, John Blanchard, Spencer Steenburgh,
Susan Fraser
Visitors:
Visitors to the tower included Tim, Dave, Austin and his mum, and a couple
of others I did not get a chance to speak with. The park was busy with dog
walkers, hikers, and photographers.
Weather:
A gorgeous spring day. South-westerly winds, at times gusting strongly,
throughout the day. 11C at the start, increasing to a balmy 21C by
mid-afternoon. Cloud cover decreased steadily through the morning, to
almost clear skies at 3pm, then rapidly increased as the warm front moved
in during the final hour.
Raptor Observations:
A busy day. Eight species, dominated by Turkey Vultures and with good
numbers of Sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks. A few birds far to the south
were too far out to identify, even with a scope. The height of the flight
was very variable, with high streams out towards the lake, along the
escarpment, overhead, over the farm, and further south. Most of the
accipitrines were at or just above treetop height. Local Cooper's and
Red-tailed Hawks, a Merlin, and at least one Adult and one immature Bald
Eagle were active.
Non-raptor Observations:
A great team of spotters today, whose efforts were really appreciated: Dan
Birkenbergs from Mississauga, Spencer Steenburgh, George Iumonen from
Cayuga, Kat Stolz, Susan Fraser, Gianpiero Tondina, Mark Lichtenberg from
Toronto, John Blanchard and Marco.
Non-raptor notables were Tree Swallows, Belted Kingfisher, Hooded
Mergansers, Red-breasted Merganser, Belted Kingfisher, Common Loon, Purple
Finches, and an Eastern Phoebe.
Predictions:
Thundershowers currently forecast for most of the day. It will be
relatively warm, so any breaks in the weather may allow a few birds to get
through.
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Report submitted by Simon Carter ()
Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found
at:
http://nphawkwatch.ca/
More site information at hawkcount.org:
https://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. Only
the counter and designated spotters can drive into and park in the
conservation area; there is a parking lot outside for visitors. 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 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. 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. ©2020 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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