Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 22, 2018 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 7 Turkey Vulture 68 5880 7221 Osprey 9 42 42 Bald Eagle 2 12 42 Northern Harrier 8 28 30 Sharp-shinned Hawk 77 490 514 Cooper's Hawk 3 41 66 Northern Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 56 205 Broad-winged Hawk 162 375 375 Red-tailed Hawk 31 444 915 Rough-legged Hawk 0 10 15 Golden Eagle 0 0 2 American Kestrel 4 19 24 Merlin 1 8 10 Peregrine Falcon 0 5 8 Unknown Accipiter 0 2 2 Unknown Buteo 0 10 16 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 1 1 Unknown Raptor 0 6 6 Total: 365 7430 9502 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 16:45:00 Total observation time: 9.25 hours Official Counter: Chris Escott Observers: Dave Don, Eric Holden, Sandy Darling, Tim Foran Visitors: The day started with a troop of a dozen army cadets and four instructors, learning about using radios. Alpha One over and out! After that, a number of birders spent a few hours basking in the wonderful weather and watching the birds trickle through. Among them: Barry Cherriere, Kevin McLaughlin, Gerry Schemilt and Greg Corcoran, George Holland, David Brewer, Joanne Redwood, Keith Park, Don Cunliffe, and several others. Lots of hikers and families out for day in the park passed through as well. Weather: Clear blue sky all day -- tough to pick out birds as they were mostly very high or distant. Morning N to NE breeze came around to NE to E, but died as the afternoon wore on. Raptor Observations: Flight line early was along the escarpment, but soon moved overhead then inland. Many afternoon birds were far to the south, detectable at the limit of binocular range and often identifiable only by scope. Non-raptor Observations: One Eastern Phoebe, a pair of Sandhill Crane overhead heading for Niagara, several Common Loon, some early Tree Swallows and possible Purple Martins, but a dearth of passerines (even at the feeders, which I topped up with birdseed on arrival). Predictions: Weather looks similar to today but with winds more easterly and perhaps stronger. Ripley had a slow day today, and Braddock Bay hasn't reported in yet, but Derby Hill had a pretty good day suggesting more birds are going around the east end of Lake Ontario than we can expect at Beamer. I suggest tomorrow will be a very pleasant day to spend outdoors at Beamer, and variety could be good, but numbers may not be fabulous (all told, much like today). ======================================================================== Report submitted by Chris Escott (ch...@escott.ca) Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/ More site information at hawkcount.org: http://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. 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 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. 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: 1) Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized after the end of the season. ©2018 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch. 2) Vehicular traffic is again allowed into the park, 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!!! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
