Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 18, 2009
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 61 3190 5516
Osprey 5 16 18
Bald Eagle 0 8 55
Northern Harrier 4 42 73
Sharp-shinned Hawk 135 441 639
Cooper's Hawk 0 19 102
Northern Goshawk 0 0 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 22 721
Broad-winged Hawk 109 110 110
Red-tailed Hawk 41 563 2581
Rough-legged Hawk 3 15 66
Golden Eagle 0 8 12
American Kestrel 11 30 46
Merlin 0 0 1
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 5
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 5
Unknown Buteo 0 5 25
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 1 8 51
Total: 370 4478 10028
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 9.5 hours
Official Counter: Phil Waggett
Observers: Bouwe Bergsma, Brandon Holden, Clive Hodder, Colin Horstead,
Derek Lyon, Jaques Giraud, Jennifer Lyon, Mike Street,
Tom Thomas
Visitors:
The warm weather brought out a large number of birders and other visitors.
Among the many key spotters today included Colin Horstead, Tom Thomas,
Derek & Jennifer Lyon, Jacques Giraud, Keith Seally, Bouwe Bergsma, Mike
Street, Brandon & Eric Holden, Clive Hodder, and Jack Alvo with his
daughter Frances. My apologies to many others who I may have omitted.
Weather:
An unseasonably warm (up to 24 C) spring day with moderate SW to W winds
and considerable cloud cover.
Raptor Observations:
A good (but not spectacular) initial broadwing flight with a good showing
of sharp-shins. Lots of local activity by the resident turkey vultures and
red-tails.
Two of the rough-legs were dark form while the third roughie was
intermediate form.
Non-raptor Observations:
An increasing variety of spring migrants including Bonaparte's Gulls,
Caspian Tern, DC Cormorant, Common Loon, many northern flickers, GB Heron,
purple finch, pine warbler, woodcock, ruby-crowned kinglet, yellow-bellied
sapsucker, american pipit, purple martin, barn & tree swallows, wood ducks,
field sparrow. Also a late flock of pine siskins flew by.
Predictions:
The predicted stiff north-east winds will likely not produce a significant
flight. With three days of rain to follow, it appears that next Thursday
through Sunday will likely produce our first major broad-wing flight.
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Report submitted by Phil Waggett ()
Beamer Conservation Area, Grimsby, ON information may be found at:
http://www.hwcn.org/link/niaghawk/
Site Description:
The hawk migration at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area is conducted by
the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). The counting is all 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 the cold days of March, a black plastic wind guard is
installed around the towers 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 publically 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 the days observations 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 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: Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized
after the end of the season. © 2009 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
