Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 10, 2016 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 70 824 3950 Osprey 0 4 4 Bald Eagle 0 2 25 Northern Harrier 2 6 37 Sharp-shinned Hawk 17 45 195 Cooper's Hawk 0 10 59 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 1 264 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 12 68 928 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 22 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 0 7 26 Merlin 1 2 8 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 3 Unknown Buteo 0 1 6 Unknown Falcon 0 0 2 Unknown Eagle 0 1 1 Unknown Raptor 1 1 8 Total: 103 974 5539 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:30:00 Observation end time: 14:45:00 Total observation time: 5.25 hours Official Counter: Matt Mills Observers: Darren Smillie, John Hogeveen Visitors: Bruce & Laurie Mackenzie, Karl and William Konze, Rob Waldhuber and his son Mike, Ken & Angie Williams. Another 15 or 20 brief visitors to the tower Weather: Overcast with variable south winds. Sun tried to burn off the haze midday before a bank of lower storm clouds moved in. Raptor Observations: A brief afternoon flight yielded a small run of Sharpies. Non-raptor Observations: 1 Fox Sparrow an Eastern Towhee and 2 Eastern Phoebe. A few Killdeer, 2 Brown-headed Cowbirds and maybe a dozen migrating crows. A cormorant buzzed a Turkey Vulture in midair while a single Wild Turkey cruising west above the vineyard must have been studying the vultures. Predictions: Might be birds between breaks in the rain. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Matt Mills () 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