Holiday Beach Migration Observatory Essex County, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 10, 2003 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Turkey Vulture 0 7 7 Osprey 2 14 14 Bald Eagle 1 9 9 Northern Harrier 8 48 48 Sharp-shinned Hawk 297 652 652 Cooper's Hawk 1 10 10 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 441 468 468 Red-tailed Hawk 4 15 15 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 25 220 220 Merlin 0 8 8 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown 0 3 3 Total: 779 1455 1455 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 13:15:00 Total observation time: 6.25 hours Official Counter: Betty Learmouth Observers: Carl Latta, Fred Urie, Judy Hawke, Mercer Patriarche, Sylvia Telasco, Wayne Telasco, Wray Hawke Visitors: We had visitors from Port Rowan, ON and around Essex County today. Weather: Foggy during the first portion of the watch, with the fog burning off and the temperature rising with humid conditions. Winds were from the Northeast, eventually swinging to the Southeast in the early afternoon. Observations: The Northeast winds brought a flight of mainly Sharp-shinned and Broad-winged Hawks. Observers spotted 12 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at tower height while 38 Monarchs were seen, most above tower height (40 feet). For the second day, numbers of Ladybugs were seen flying above tower height. A few swallows, three Chimney Swifts and several flocks of Cedar Waxwings were noted as these birds moved westward over the tower. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Betty Learmouth (bettlear@wincom.net) Holiday Beach Migration Observatory information may be found at: http://hbmo.org/ Holiday Beach Migration Observatory Information on southern Ontario\'s hawk migration and the Holiday Beach Conservation Area site ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Southwestern Ontario is largely an area of flat, featureless farmland. There are only two geographic features of note in the region. One is the proximity of the Great lakes, which influence bird migration in the area to a great extent, The second is the shape of the province, roughly funnel-shaped with the narrow end to the southwest. These features confine south-bound bird migrants, especially hawks, to specific flight corridors. Holiday Beach Conservation Area was formerly a Provincial Park, but is now administered by the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA). It is strategically located at the extreme southwestern tip of southern Ontario. The park is on the eastern end of a large freshwater estuary known as Big Creek. (Specifically the site is 1.1 miles south of the junction Highway 20 (old 18) and Essex Road 50, Town of Amherstburg). The Holiday Beach Migration Observatory (HBMO) (founded in 1986) is a non-profit, volunteer organization formed to promote the study and protection of migrating birds. Activities focus primarily on fall migration of raptors and other species. This site is in Essex County, Ontario, on the north shore of Lake Erie near the Detroit River. In 1988, HBMO persuaded Detroit Edison to donate a 40 foot Hawk Tower which is now at the site. Southwestern Ontario has a funneling effect on migrating raptors due to the geography of the nearby lakes and the reluctance of most raptors to cross large bodies of water. Birds gain altitude over the flat farmland to the north and east, rising easily with the thermals that such areas provide in abundance. As the birds head south they meet Lake Erie and, reluctant to cross it , turn west. With appropriate wind and weather conditions, birds pile up along the lake shore and move west until they reach the narrow crossing at the Detroit River (or island hop within the river mouth). reports@hawkcount.org Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.