Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 08, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 1 Turkey Vulture 17 2146 5612 Osprey 0 11 16 Bald Eagle 0 13 59 Northern Harrier 0 5 16 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 90 210 Cooper's Hawk 0 20 71 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 4 219 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 1 182 587 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 9 Golden Eagle 0 0 3 American Kestrel 0 6 9 Merlin 0 1 3 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 3 Unknown Accipitrine 0 7 9 Unknown Buteo 0 2 14 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 3 Total: 18 2491 6844 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 5 hours Official Counter: Clive Hodder Observers: Visitors: The only visitors today were Mike Leslie and Robin Southall from Winona. Very few people visited the park today because of the wind and cold. Weather: Northwesterly winds gusting to 50km per hour and sub-zero temperatures. Significant cloud cover to begin with but this was quickly blown away. Raptor Observations: Today's weather was not conducive to migration. Just a few Turkey Vultures and a lone Red-tailed Hawk struggled to move west against the wind today. 5 local Turkey Vultures put in an appearance. Non-raptor Observations: An Eastern Towhee called and 4 Wood Ducks flew by in the first hour of the count. An adult Bald eagle flew east and 7 Double-crested Cormorants flew west in Hour 3. Predictions: The wind is forecast to shift to the southwest tomorrow morning and temperatures are expected to be around 5C, which should be more promising. However, there seem to be few birds in the pipeline - Braddock Bay reported 1 and Ripley 5 - all Turkey Vultures. (Derby Hill had not yet reported.) ======================================================================== Report submitted by Clive Hodder (clive.hodder@sympatico.ca) Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/ More site information at hawkcount.org: https://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. Only the counter and designated spotters can drive into and park in the conservation area; there is a parking lot outside for visitors. 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 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. 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. ©2020 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch. 2) Vehicular traffic into the park is allowed, 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!!!