Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 13, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 16 246 246 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 1 20 20 Northern Harrier 3 5 5 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 13 13 Cooper's Hawk 2 16 17 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 7 27 27 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 21 116 116 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 0 0 0 Merlin 0 1 1 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipitrine 0 2 2 Unknown Buteo 0 1 1 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 52 448 449 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Tom Thomas Observers: Dave Sked, David Thomas, Jude Szabo, Phil Waggett Visitors: Bob Stamp, Dave Chapmen, Steve Vine. Lots of Families around in the afternoon. Weather: Dark cloudy skies at the start and zero degrees. The sun eventual broke through and it slowly warmed up. it felt much colder though due to the brisk at times North East wind. Raptor Observations: Great expectations, but a slow day overall. Non-raptor Observations: What a fantastic display by around thirty Common Ravens. They seemed to come in from all directions to kettle at the edge of the Escarpment. Veteran birders were saying they have not seen anything like it before. This display went on for many minutes, as they wheeled and dived and interacted with each other. they moved further to the east, but soon came back into view and and went through the same process all over again. Getting back to my report of Brewer's Blackbirds on March 10th. Better birders than I, suggested they probably were Rusty Blackbirds, after viewing my photographs and comparing bill structures of the two species. Other birds... Great Blue Heron, Killdeer, Eastern Bluebirds, and Northern Flicker. Predictions: I think it has to be better than today, ahead of the rain on Saturday. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Tom Thomas (tthomas@cogeco.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!!!