Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 18, 2020 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 42 307 307 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 0 21 21 Northern Harrier 0 5 5 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 9 9 Cooper's Hawk 1 12 12 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 10 106 106 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 26 321 321 Rough-legged Hawk 0 4 4 Golden Eagle 0 2 2 American Kestrel 0 5 5 Merlin 0 3 3 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 6 6 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 80 801 801 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Bill Lamond Observers: Barry Cherriere, Bill Read, Eric Single, Kevin McLaughlin, Lauren Booker, Phil Waggett Visitors: Visitors today were Phill Waggett, Eric Single, Bill Read, Peter Thoem, Dennis Lewington, Blayne and Jean Farnam, Kathleen Gardiner, Sarah Lamond, Lauren Booker, Barry Cherriere. Weather: Day started with relatively clear skies with obvious contrails (those will be diminishing daily!) but gradually clouded up over the next four hours almost imperceptibly. Moderate ENE winds to start, increasing as the day progessed. It was quite chilly. Raptor Observations: Raptor flight was quite modest with low diversity. Only five species. By 12:00p.m. the sky was completely overcast with the sun only occasionally being felt on the face, and the hawks had pretty much stopped. Non-raptor Observations: There was a modest migration of diurnal migrants in the morning. Small flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and American Robins flew over. A few solitary Killdeer passed over as did a few small flocks of migrating Canada Geese. The highlight was a Great Blue Heron that flew over at a fair height. Predictions: Flight tomorrow will likely be similar to today's with similar weather conditions. Forecast calls for cloudy skies with sunny breaks, NE winds to 20kph and high of 6 degrees Celsius. It will be another chilly one. Winter coats, gloves and hats will be essential. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Bill Lamond () Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/ More site information at hawkcount.org: http://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. 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 park vehicles (along the road) and 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. Parking is normally available inside the park. 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!!!