Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: May 10, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 2 Turkey Vulture 9 87 6692 Osprey 0 3 53 Bald Eagle 0 4 64 Northern Harrier 0 2 106 Sharp-shinned Hawk 14 234 2300 Cooper's Hawk 0 5 123 Northern Goshawk 0 1 8 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 1 509 Broad-winged Hawk 2 59 2915 Red-tailed Hawk 16 46 2123 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 26 Golden Eagle 0 0 8 American Kestrel 0 5 54 Merlin 1 4 21 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 12 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 3 Unknown Buteo 0 1 11 Unknown Falcon 0 0 2 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 10 Total: 42 455 15042 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 9.75 hours Official Counter: John Stevens Observers: John Niewiadomski, Mike Kirchin Visitors: Few Weather: High pressure in place. All clouds were cumulus. Winds light from the north until a small cyclone raising leaves at 3:35 EST signalled a wind shift of 180 degrees. Cool although reaching 15 by 4:00 EST. Raptor Observations: I strongly suspect that there are more than two local Cooper's Hawks. One pair does not seem to be nesting and were seen flying together with the female doing that slow flap. The other male was seen going into the woods to the west and calling. Non-raptor Observations: Had 39 non-raptor species including a cuckoo and a very red Baltimore Oriole. Best sighting was the pair of deer that emerged about 3 EDT from the eastern woods, loped across the grass, loafed along the edge of the western woods for a minute and sauntered off into that woods behind our sign. Predictions: The morning could be good with SE winds albeit cool and rain moving in during the afternoon. ======================================================================== Report submitted by John Stevens () Beamer Conservation Area, Grimsby, ON information may be found at: http://www.hwcn.org/link/niaghawk/ 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. © 2010 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch