Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 15, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 1 Turkey Vulture 44 2495 5961 Osprey 2 17 22 Bald Eagle 2 17 63 Northern Harrier 2 12 23 Sharp-shinned Hawk 32 253 373 Cooper's Hawk 1 23 74 American Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 8 223 Broad-winged Hawk 0 2 2 Red-tailed Hawk 7 221 626 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 9 Golden Eagle 0 0 3 American Kestrel 3 11 14 Merlin 1 2 4 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 3 Unknown Accipitrine 0 7 9 Unknown Buteo 0 3 15 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 1 1 Unknown Raptor 0 1 3 Total: 94 3077 7430 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Bill Lamond Observers: Colleen Cugini, John Niewiadomski Visitors: Ante Tuomala was up on the tower for a bit. I had not seen him since the late 1980s. He told some interesting stories about Alf Epp, a long-time Hamilton and Beamer birder who died in the 1990s. That was good. Weather: Another windy day on the tower with the strong W winds undoubtedly reducing migration. It was a highly variable sky with many cloud types and largely blue skies to start and completely cloudy at the end. We experienced rain in two waves which caused us to retreat to our cars but the rain was short-lived. The temperature was warmish to start, decreasing as the day progressed. Raptor Observations: The strong W winds had one benefit of keeping the flight low and the hawks were easy to spot. We saw nine species which was nice. Sharp-shinned Hawks did not seem to deterred by the winds. A couple of Ospreys and male Harriers were the highlights. Despite how windy it was, the trees to the W are a good wind-break and it is comparatively "calm" up on the tower. A good thing for comfort. Non-raptor Observations: With the winds, passerine flights were reduced but we did see Cormorants frequently as well as two Common Loons. Five Fox Sparrows, a Towhee and a White-throated Sparrow were at the ground feeders. I'm convinced these are the same birds that have been here since last week. Also of note were a few fly-over Purple Finches and one Yellow-rumped Warbler. The sound of a tree falling along the Escarpment was entertaining as were the clouds in the first half of the day. Predictions: It will be chilly to start at 3 degrees Celsius with a high of only 5. It will once again be windy (NW) similar to today with gusts to 50 km/hr. It will be mainly cloudy if not entirely cloudy with 30-40% chance of precipitation in each hour. It doesn't sound like a good day for a hawk flight. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Bill Lamond (bill-lamond@hotmail.com) 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!!!