Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 26, 2016
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 1009 2281 2288
Osprey 0 0 0
Bald Eagle 0 22 23
Northern Harrier 3 19 19
Sharp-shinned Hawk 16 54 54
Cooper's Hawk 6 35 36
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 22 255 255
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 187 793 794
Rough-legged Hawk 0 18 20
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 2 15 15
Merlin 1 6 6
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Accipiter 3 3 3
Unknown Buteo 4 5 5
Unknown Falcon 1 2 2
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 5 7 7
Total: 1259 3515 3527
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 18:00:00
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Chris Escott
Observers: Barry Cherriere, Eric Geenen, Geoff Carpentier,
Rayfield Pye, Tim Foran
Visitors:
Rick Brown, Mary Ramotar, Mary Ellen Hebb, John Hogeven, Jane Scholer
Weather:
Cloudy with sunny periods with more clear blue sky through the mid-day,
light east winds with occasional light gusts, temperatures marginally above
freezing and seemed to get a bit chillier as the afternoon wore on.
Raptor Observations:
Flight line started on the north edge of the escarpment with Turkey
Vultures (TUVU) pouring through but soon shifted inland and small kettles
of TUVU seen far to the south, then in late afternoon it shifted back to
the escarpment edge. No really unusual raptors but a nice variety of
species. Notably, the flight appeared to dry up by 3 PM STD but I hung
around and in the 4-5 PM STD hour another big wave of TUVU went through.
Non-raptor Observations:
Few migrant passerines in evidence. All the usual feeder birds, most
notably Red-bellied Woodpeckers -- at one point three were seen in the same
tree!
Predictions:
Based on the weather forecast, morning and early afternoon look good with
light NE winds (much like today), so a good flight is possible. Rain may
move in late in the day, so the flight could tail off as the afternoon
wears on. Turkey Vultures were moving through today in kettles of 50+
birds, so maybe that will continue tomorrow.
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Report submitted by Chris Escott ()
Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at:
http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/
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: Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized
after the end of the season. © 2016 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch
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