Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 17, 2014 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 14 13121 13241 Osprey 1 34 117 Bald Eagle 0 14 72 Northern Harrier 3 129 522 Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 2160 6736 Cooper's Hawk 0 70 140 Northern Goshawk 0 2 3 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 4 4 Broad-winged Hawk 0 133 70697 Red-tailed Hawk 0 234 260 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 0 2 2 American Kestrel 3 498 2243 Merlin 0 16 58 Peregrine Falcon 1 112 157 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Total: 26 16530 94254 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 12:00:00 Total observation time: 4 hours Official Counter: Jim Dunn, Keith Sealy Observers: Cary Graham, Keith Sealy, Mary Carnahan Visitors: Today Rose Welch was down to visit and helped with finding the non-raptors today...so thanks to her and to Jim, Mary, Keith and Cary G. for doing today's count. Weather: Moderate SW winds for the day...with complete overcast and low clouds drifting overhead. Rain for the 2nd hour then drying up for the rest of the count period. Temp was cooler and fairly steady at 8C getting to 10C in the last hour. Raptor Observations: A small flight today with just 26 birds tallied. There were some TVs (14) that rocked with the wind and slowly made their way westward. The Osprey struggled across the field very low and about at walking speed. The Merlin, being a Merlin just streaked low across the field. The Harriers were low and hugging the treeline at the North end of the field. The shins came out of the woodlot across the field low and into the trees on the roadside. The local Eagles were trolling back and forth along the cliff. The single Peregrine cruised past in the last hour. Non-raptor Observations: Thanks to Rose Welch, today's visitor, for trekking up the road in the wind to look for "dickie birds" and indeed, she did find a few including Downy and Redbellied Woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadees, numerous Golden- and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Robins, White-throated Sparrows and flocks of Starllings and Red-winged Blackbirds. Back at the knoll, a Song Sparrow made an appearance in the grape vines at the base of the knoll while an E. Phoebe perched and was actively flycatching from a perch just to our left. A House Wren popped up a little farther along the edge of the field and the Carolina Wren sang from across the road, hidden from view and presumably also from the wind. Other flocks observed from the knoll were 2 small flocks of Wood Ducks (high count of 12), Canada Geese, American Goldfinches, Bluejays (compared to earlier this week, very few), and the endless parade of Ring-billed and Herring Gulls. A single Bonaparte's Gull was also seen along the Cliff. 2 Monarch Butterflies were seen struggling strong southwesterly winds. a remarkable sighting for October 17th! Predictions: I realize that looking at the weather it looks a bit tough for tomorrow after the passage of the cold front tonight...BUT if the humidity stays in the 70s and with winds forecast to be strong from the NW for the day it will bring whatever birds are attempting to move down to the lake shore and past the hawkwatch. Sunday looks even more interesting as they predict a second day of NW to WNW winds though somewhat lighter than Sat. Again, this is great for pushing whatever birds are on the move down to the cliff area. Just make sure to pack / wear extra layers of clothing as the temp is forecast to feel like 5C with a bit of a windchill. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Dave Brown (thebrowns@ezlink.on.ca) Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at: http://www.ezlink.on.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm