Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 27, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 472 3143 3143 Osprey 0 1 1 Bald Eagle 5 46 46 Northern Harrier 1 11 11 Sharp-shinned Hawk 7 113 113 Cooper's Hawk 7 46 47 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 4 214 214 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 25 391 391 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: 521 3997 3998 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Clive Hodder Observers: Dave Sked, David Thomas, Gianpiero Tondina Visitors: Lots of visitors today, whose help with the count was appreciated - Andy Morgan (Burlington), Kevin and Mary Lamb (Kitchener), Sean Lamb and Stephanie Tran (with 1 year-old Rune Tran Lamb) (Toronto), Nick Lonski (Niagara Falls), Barbara and Drew McVeigh (Milton). Tim King (East Hamilton), John Niewiadomski, Rosa Wang (Mississauga), Terry and Mike Kershaw (Fonthill), and Jeremy, Melissa and Katherine Muis (Dunnville). (Katherine spotted and identified the very last bird of the day, the only Northern Harrier on today's count.) Weather: A frosty start, temperature 2C rising to !0C by the end of the day. Winds were from the southwest, 18 km per hour at the beginning of the count, increasing to 26 km per hour in the afternoon. Sunny weather all day with cirrus clouds increasing to 40% at the end of the count. A sundog formed at 12:45 pm and lasted a few minutes. Raptor Observations: After a slow start, raptors made a nice push today ahead of the threatened ice storm forecast for central and southern Ontario. The great majority of birds came through in the afternoon. The flight line shifted from the south in the morning primarily to the north in the afternoon, many birds in the late afternoon flying to the north just within binocular range. Many thanks to Dave Thomas, Gianpiero Tondina and Dave Sked for being observers today. Non-raptor Observations: A quiet day on the non-raptor front with only the expected common migrants making an appearance. Predictions: There could be raptors moving in the morning since there were lots of birds reported south of the border today. However, any movement will likely be short-lived with rain moving in in the afternoon. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Katherine Stoltz (Katherine Stoltzstoltz.katherine@gmail.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!!!