Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 28, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 1 Turkey Vulture 13 2700 6266 Osprey 1 32 33 Bald Eagle 2 41 91 Northern Harrier 0 31 46 Sharp-shinned Hawk 27 1161 1209 Cooper's Hawk 3 72 106 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 53 374 Broad-winged Hawk 1 3349 3349 Red-tailed Hawk 0 465 1040 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 8 Golden Eagle 0 2 7 American Kestrel 0 35 44 Merlin 0 5 7 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 4 Unknown Accipiter 0 11 14 Unknown Buteo 0 10 22 Unknown Falcon 0 3 3 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 26 31 Short-eared Owl 0 0 1 Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1 Total: 47 8001 12657 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 5.5 hours Official Counter: Katherine Stoltz Observers: Visitors: Very few. 2 birders from Toronto and a couple from Welland bravely and briefly ascended the tower. Weather: Late sub-in for scheduled counter. Full cloud deck with temps barely reaching double digits and biting NW winds. too cold for late April. The radar showed rain starting at 2 pm EST, and as I am scheduled (weather permitting) to count again on Sunday, I called it a day. Counters and spotters: the gate lock is very tricky. the last number would not move, and it took 15 minutes and a good Samaritan named John from Stoney Creek to coax it open. I recommend leaving the last number in the correct position and scrambling the rest unless you want to overnight at Beamer. Raptor Observations: Local TUVU (6) Local COHA (2) and 1 local RTHA who took his time getting out of bed. A trickle of raptors with 2 BAEA and 1 OSPR. SSHA won the day, but it wasn't much of a contest. 80 % of the flight took the north flightpath over the escarpment and the rest flew over the tower with only 2 birds taking the southern route. Non-raptor Observations: Nothing new. Even the robins and cardinals stopped singing by 1 pm DST. Predictions: Rain predicted. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Katherine Stoltz (kstoltz5@cogeco.ca) 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!!!