Holiday Beach Conservation Area Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 30, 2014 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 0 1726 48454 Osprey 0 3 56 Bald Eagle 0 54 290 Northern Harrier 1 177 580 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 154 7778 Cooper's Hawk 2 45 331 Northern Goshawk 0 6 13 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 158 461 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 36348 Red-tailed Hawk 0 1203 2562 Rough-legged Hawk 0 20 26 Golden Eagle 0 55 81 American Kestrel 0 7 1026 Merlin 0 5 74 Peregrine Falcon 1 9 55 Unknown Accipiter 0 1 23 Unknown Buteo 0 34 234 Unknown Eagle 0 3 5 Unknown Falcon 0 1 7 Unknown Raptor 0 1 47 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Total: 4 3662 98452 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours Official Counter: Bob Hall-Brooks Observers: John Craft, Larry Ludwicki Visitors: One couple walking in the park came up the Tower today. Many thanks to John Craft and Larry Ludwicki for their assistance and company on this slow day. Weather: Temperatures above 0 degrees Celsius with light South winds, cloudy with just a hint of sun. Raptor Observations: This was the last day of the HBMO Hawk Count season and only four raptors were seen. Only the two adult resident Bald Eagles and one immature were seen today and only briefly. Non-raptor Observations: The 12 Muskrats were still in evidence along with the resident one Great Blue Heron, 10 Mute Swans, 1 Yellow-shafted Flicker, 1 American Tree Sparrow, 1 Downy Woodpecker and 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker. Migrants included 103 Tundra Swans, 159 American Goldfinch, 10 Pine Siskins, 23 Cedar Waxwings, 10 Red-winged Blackbirds, 8 Common Mergansers, 8 House Finch, 1 Warbler species, 9 Bonaparte's Gulls and 1 Greater Black-backed Gull. Predictions: The party's over. See you next spring at Hillman Marsh or next fall at Holiday Beach. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Bob Hall-Brooks (bhall-bro...@cogeco.ca) Holiday Beach Conservation Area information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/ Site Description: 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). 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: 1. Entering Canada from Detroit at the Ambassador Bridge: After Canadian Customs you are on Huron Church Road leading to Highway 401 and Highway 3. Continue east through the construction to HOWARD AVENUE ROUTE 9 SOUTH. Turn RIGHT onto HOWARD ROUTE 9 and 'carefully' follow signs south TO ITS END at County Road 20. Turn RIGHT (west) on County Road 20. Continue west to intersection with Route 50 with Ure's Country Kitchen & Variety on the LEFT. Turn LEFT onto Route 50 south going 1.3 miles. Soon after the left curve on Route 50 is the entrance to the Holiday Beach Conservation Area on the RIGHT. Pay the daily vehicle fee of $10 at gate or at credit card reader. Continue to the Hawk Tower parking at the south end of the park. Park vehicle and walk to the Hawk Tower. 2. West bound on Routes 401 and 3: Take HOWARD AVENUE ROUTE 9 SOUTH. Continue with directions above. Bring with you birding gear: books, binocs, scopes, camera, hat or bill cap, insect repellent, sunscreen, folding chair, (drink and food during non-festival time). Dress for the weather. It is cooler near the lake. (You may purchase an annual pass and electronic fob at the Essex Region Conservation Area building, 360 Fairview W Essex, ON N8M 1Y3, Canada, 519-776-5209, erca.org.) PLEASE OBEY SPEED LIMITS! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
