Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 10, 2009 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 13 Osprey 5 35 41 Bald Eagle 4 38 56 Northern Harrier 13 42 67 Sharp-shinned Hawk 168 866 892 Cooper's Hawk 1 14 16 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 2 65 92 Red-tailed Hawk 0 11 16 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 52 404 418 Merlin 9 21 24 Peregrine Falcon 2 5 8 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 Total: 256 1501 1643 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Colin Horstead Observers: Don Taylor, Harvey Patterson, Jim Dunn, Kathy, Keith Sealy, Mary Carnahan, Ronnie Goodhand, Tom Bolohan Visitors: Paula Stemp (Waterloo), Harvey Medland & Margaret Kelch (T.O.) Weather: The day started with very little cloud cover then eventually built up in the afternoon. Temp made it to a high of 23C. The humidity was a bit high through the day which likely limited the flight. Winds were moderate NE to start and then shifted to E and light. Raptor Observations: A total of 256 birds counted for the day...the highlight being the 2 Peregrines. Also some good Merlins (9) and Kestrels (52). Only a couple of Broadwings. Non-raptor Observations: None recorded. ======================================================================== 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 Site Description: The Hawk Cliff Hawk watch is located just east of Port Stanley on the cliff overlooking Lake Erie. Over the years the Hawk Cliff site has grown in popularity and today it is recognized as one of the prime fall migration hawk watching destinations in North America. Every year hundreds of birders (and non-birders!) from Canada, the U.S. and other countries visit the site. Knowledgeable volunteers are always on hand to assist visitors with raptor identification and to raise public awareness on the subject of raptor migration. Birders can normally expect to see some 15 different raptor species with typical count totals reaching several thousand birds per day. The count season is from September 1st to November 30th. On a few exceptional occasions lucky visitors have witnessed the amazing spectacle of over 100,000 raptors of various species migrating past Hawk Cliff in a single day! Hawk Cliff hawkwatch is a great location for visitors to come to learn about raptors and their migration. We cater to school groups, and will arrange to provide special live bird demos for the kids (if possible) depending on the day's flight. Please visit the Hawk Cliff Foundation website listed above for more detailed information and special events. Directions to site: >From east 401, take the Highbury south cut off at London, follow Highbury (Hwy 30) south to St. Thomas. Highbury changes into South Edgeware at a large curve in the road to the west. Follow South Edgeware west to the first set of traffic lights - Burwell Road, turn left (south) and stay on this road. It becomes Fairview Ave (Regional Road 22), which runs directly into Hawk Cliff Road. You will see a sign for Hawkes Cliff Farm, where they sell fresh vegetables and a gravel road just beyond sign. Just continue down gravel road to viewing area. >From west 401, take the Highway # 4 (Colonel Talbot Rd.) exit south, through Talbotville, road now is Sunset Rd. continue towards St. Thomas; you will come to a veer in the road, straight up to St. Thomas, veer to the right for Port Stanley, follow Highway 4, now Sunset to Port Stanley. As you approach Port Stanley you will come to a large curve in the road with a sign saying East St, to the left. Take East St., and follow it to the first road left, (opposite Port Stanley Water Tower) Dexter Line. Follow Dexter Line approximately 2 km. and turn right down gravel road at Hawkes Cliff Farm, and follow gravel road to viewing area