Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 25, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 126 2308 2308 Osprey 0 1 1 Bald Eagle 0 40 40 Northern Harrier 0 10 10 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 103 103 Cooper's Hawk 0 39 40 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 209 209 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 359 359 Rough-legged Hawk 0 6 6 Golden Eagle 0 3 3 American Kestrel 0 3 3 Merlin 0 2 2 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 2 Unknown Accipitrine 0 2 2 Unknown Buteo 0 12 12 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 2 2 Total: 126 3101 3102 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 5 hours Official Counter: Deena Errampalli Observers: Visitors: None. Weather: Another cloudy, windy, and cold day. The cloud cover increased from 95% to 100%. The temperature ranged from 1 °C to -2 °C, with a 20 km/hr southeast wind and intermittent wind gusts. The wind chill made it uncomfortable. The visibility was 10 km. Light flurries fell frequently and continued throughout the morning, and heavy flurries began around 1 pm Standard Time. Under these conditions, I decided it was time to call it a day. Raptor Observations: A total of 126 migrating Turkey Vultures were recorded. Very few Turkey vultures were seen in the last two hours of the count. Most of the birds were flying low and did their best to navigate the wind. Thermals were non-existent. The local Turkey Vultures flew around just once. No other raptor species was seen today. Non-raptor Observations: Five unidentified ducks flew toward the Lake. A pair of Fox Sparrows is continuing. Predictions: The weather forecast for tomorrow is very similar to today’s: mainly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of flurries; wind becoming west at 30 km/h in the morning; and a high of +2C. Ripley Hawkwatch NY reported 0 from 9:30 to 5 pm today. Raptor migration at Beamer may be sparse tomorrow. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Deena Errampalli (deenaerrampalli@bell.net) 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!!!