Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 26, 2017 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 4250 31628 33373 Osprey 0 7 67 Bald Eagle 30 87 171 Northern Harrier 7 132 349 Sharp-shinned Hawk 170 1326 3194 Cooper's Hawk 14 86 128 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 9 54 60 Broad-winged Hawk 0 13 4338 Red-tailed Hawk 99 303 340 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 2 Golden Eagle 9 17 17 American Kestrel 2 167 1388 Merlin 2 18 73 Peregrine Falcon 2 138 167 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 2 Total: 4594 33978 43669 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 9 hours Official Counter: Bob Johnstone Observers: Chris Burris, Ernie Gribble, Mac McAlpine, Richard Skevington, Tom Bolohan Visitors: Thanks to the gang that were out today to do the count... Bob, Chris, Tom B, Mac, Ernie, Richard and Adrian J. Weather: Finally a break from the rotten wind directions and summer like weather (only a hawk watcher would complain about that LOL). Winds were light from the N and NW and then backing all the way to W. Skies were clear to start and then a mix of sun and cloud and the temp started at -1C and got to 11C. Raptor Observations: Another great day of hawk watching with a total of 4,594 birds of 11 different species. Though there were only 2 today, the Peregrines that passed the hawk watch were the RECORD BREAKING 166th and 167th of the season... the highest ever single season count of Peregrines at this site. Also a nice highlight today were the good number of eagles with Bald Eagles (30) and Golden Eagles (9) and hopefully just the vanguard of the latter with lots more to come over the next 3 weeks or so. Other species seen included N. Harriers (7), Sharpies (170), Cooper's Hawks (14), Red-shoulders (9), Redtails (99), Am. Kestrels (2) and Merlins (2). The bulk of today's flight was TVs (4,250). Non-raptor Observations: Some good non-raptors reported today as well with Pine Siskin, several woodpeckers... Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Pileated, N. Flicker and YB Sapsucker, some sparrows...Fox. White-throated and White-crowned, Red-winged and Rusty Blackbirds, Common Grackles, DE Junco, RC and GC Kinglets, Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Phoebe, Am. Goldfinch, Am. Robins, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warblers, WB and RB Nuthatches, Horned Larks, Am. Pipits, Am. Crows, N. Cardinals, Winter Wren, Killdeer, Bonaparte's Gulls, DC Cormorants, Common Loons, Cedar Waxwings, E. Starlings, Blue Jays and amazingly a few Tree Swallows. And believe it or not... Monarchs with another 47 today!! Predictions: Though Friday looks like a nice enough day, unfortunately, the winds are predicted to be straight out of the south again! And Saturday is just looking plain messy with rain forecast for the morning and SW to WSW to W winds all day. However, Sunday is looking promising if the forecast holds with a mix of sun and cloud and light to moderate NW winds. Keep your fingers crossed. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Dave Brown (thebrowns@ezlink.on.ca) Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at: http://www.ezlink.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm More site information at hawkcount.org: http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=392