Holiday Beach Migration Observatory Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 28, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 814 39084 39242 Osprey 0 15 84 Bald Eagle 1 50 90 Northern Harrier 15 360 683 Sharp-shinned Hawk 36 5473 9248 Cooper's Hawk 37 511 659 Northern Goshawk 5 28 29 Red-shouldered Hawk 87 542 543 Broad-winged Hawk 1 130 7965 Red-tailed Hawk 299 3625 3769 Rough-legged Hawk 1 37 37 Golden Eagle 21 32 32 American Kestrel 1 725 2014 Merlin 1 45 114 Peregrine Falcon 0 30 49 Unknown 72 95 103 Total: 1391 50782 64661 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: Mike Fitzpatrick Observers: Claude Radley, Jim McCoy Visitors: Chuck Sharbaugh, Cherise Charron, Art Shaw. "The Tennessee Three" (you have to be an old Johnny Cash fan)-- Theresa Lindsey, Phyllis Coble, and Jenise Seals made their annual visit to HBMO for a memorable experience with GE's. Many thanks to Claude Radley and Jim McCoy for their usual fine assistance. Weather: Cool, mostly cloudy all day, until late afternoon. Clouds were in 2-3 layers, sometimes complicating the count as birds moved into and out of sight depending upon their relationship to the cloud layers. Northerly winds all day Raptor Observations: 13 of our 21 GE's were seen btwn 2 and 3 pm. 5 goshawks, inc 1 ad., were a treat for all as they were seen very well. Once the TV's started btwn 9-10 am, they never stopped coming until 4:30. One of our last birds of the day was a GE, a fitting end to a great day. Non-raptor Observations: 2 snipe and 2 killdeer were seen. My first juncos of the season(winter is on its way!), and many chickadees were seen and heard. Waterfowl #'s are increasing daily(some of the worst duck calls I've ever heard from hunters seemed to be ineffective--hooray). Way too many crows--must they ALL roost in Essex County?! Predictions: warmer temps and southwesterly winds are coming, so get there early in the day to enjoy the raptors that will continue moving from today's roosts while morning winds are favorable. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Michael Fitzpatrick ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Holiday Beach Migration Observatory information may be found at: http://hbmo.org/ Site Description: Holiday Beach Migration Observatory Information on southern Ontario's hawk migration and the Holiday Beach Conservation Area site ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Southwestern Ontario is largely an area of flat, featureless farmland. There are only two geographic features of note in the region. One is the proximity of the Great lakes, which influence bird migration in the area to a great extent, The second is the shape of the province, roughly funnel-shaped with the narrow end to the southwest. These features confine south-bound bird migrants, especially hawks, to specific flight corridors. Holiday Beach Conservation Area was formerly a Provincial Park, but is now administered by the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA). It is strategically located at the extreme southwestern tip of southern Ontario. The park is on the eastern end of a large freshwater estuary known as Big Creek. (Specifically the site is 1.1 miles south of the junction Highway 20 (old 18) and Essex Road 50, Town of Amherstburg). The Holiday Beach Migration Observatory (HBMO) (founded in 1986) is a non-profit, volunteer organization formed to promote the study and protection of migrating birds. Activities focus primarily on fall migration of raptors and other species. This site is in Essex County, Ontario, on the north shore of Lake Erie near the Detroit River. In 1988, HBMO persuaded Detroit Edison to donate a 40 foot Hawk Tower which is now at the site. Southwestern Ontario has a funneling effect on migrating raptors due to the geography of the nearby lakes and the reluctance of most raptors to cross large bodies of water. Birds gain altitude over the flat farmland to the north and east, rising easily with the thermals that such areas provide in abundance. As the birds head south they meet Lake Erie and, reluctant to cross it , turn west. With appropriate wind and weather conditions, birds pile up along the lake shore and move west until they reach the narrow crossing at the Detroit River (or island hop within the river mouth). Directions to site: See http://hbmo.org/directions.php
