Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 25, 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 3 3 3 Bald Eagle 0 0 0 Northern Harrier 1 3 3 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 3 3 Cooper's Hawk 0 0 0 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 0 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 0 3 3 Merlin 0 0 0 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 4 12 12 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 4 hours Official Counter: Mary Carnahan Observers: Don Taylor, Keith Sealy Visitors: No visitors today. Weather: Weather was chilly with gloomy skies this morning, Winds from the WNW and fairly high humidity made it even chillier, but by 9:30, a few blue holes had opened up in the sky. Temperature to start was only 13 rising to 18 with better skies by the end of the watch at 1:00 PM. WNW wind rose somewhat throughout the morning, eventually gusting up to 25 k/hr. Raptor Observations: We had 4 good birds today including 3 Osprey and 1 adult male Northern Harrier. Locals were a few TVs and 1 really high adult Bald Eagle at the north end of the field. Non-raptor Observations: We had a great dickie bird list today with a total of 35 of which 8 were Warblers including Am. Redstart, Yellow, Blackburnian, Blue-winged, Canada, Chestnut-sided, Cape May and Wilsons, the last 2 being new for this season (# 11 and 12 on our HC warbler list for this year). We only had 1 Vireo species today (warbling), but a nice variety of other birds including 1 Eastern Bluebird perched on a wire on Fairview Rd near Sparta Line. As well, observers reported 2 Great Crested Flycatchers perched side by side on a low branch right beside the road, hundreds of Swallows including a few Banks and Trees but mostly Barns. Also spotted in the flocks of Swallows was a single Chimney Swift, a first for HC for this season. Both the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and the Red-bellied Woodpecker (both juveniles) that have been hanging out among the locusts opposite the observation knoll were seen this morning but that was it for woodpecker species for today. Our Ruby-throated Hummingbird count was down today as well (only 5). With mainly cloudy skies, the butterflies and dragonflies didnt really get going until around noon and even then the numbers seemed fewer than over the previous few days. A couple of Monarchs were seen struggling against the wind, but in protected areas such as the laneways near Sharpie Alley, we had a couple of good finds including several Least Skippers and a couple of Eastern Tailed Blues. 1 Tiger Swallowtail was spotted today, along with a few Sulphurs (Orange and Clouded) as well as a very tattered looking Viceroy in weeds near the cliff. Dragonflies today were Green Darner and Black Saddlebags Predictions: The forecast looks good for the next few days with westerly winds tomorrow morning, Northwesterly in the afternoon, at 20 km / hr. ; then NW for Thursday at 10 k / hr; mix of sun and cloud for both days. Those strong winds today and tomorrow should bring a few more migrants our way. Currently, the forecast shows SW winds moving back in for Friday and Saturday, but back to NE on Sunday. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Dave Brown ([email protected]) Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at: http://www.ezlink.on.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - 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
