Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 22, 2020 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 28 390 390 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 3 24 24 Northern Harrier 1 7 7 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 12 12 Cooper's Hawk 2 15 15 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 16 128 128 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 43 384 384 Rough-legged Hawk 0 4 4 Golden Eagle 1 3 3 American Kestrel 0 5 5 Merlin 0 3 3 Peregrine Falcon 1 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 1 7 7 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 99 983 983 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Rob Spaul Observers: Bruce Campbell, Catherine Manschot, Darren Smillie, Lauren Booker Visitors: Awesome help for almost the entire day from Lauren Booker. Great visits and help counting/spotting from Catherine Manschott, GP Taradino, Bruce Campbell, and Darren Smilie. Lots of visitors to the CA, but most maintained social distance and avoided the tower. Weather: Beautiful weather today. Clear and crisp in the morning, with cirrus clouds gradually creeping in for the afternoon. Modest to steady NE winds for most of the day gave the migrants some updraft off the escarpment. Raptor Observations: Local Cooper's Hawk and local Red-tailed Hawks active around territories. Modest Turkey vulture flight in morning, but never really got cranking. Modest Red-tailed Hawk flight throughout the day. Red-shouldered Hawks peaked around lunch. Great finish to the day with a nice adult Golden Eagle. Non-raptor Observations: Three separate Common Ravens migrating relatively high along the escarpment. Nice afternoon Belted Kingfisher heading East. Lots of Robins in the morning. Predictions: It looks like overnight flurries, becoming rain, may slow things down substantially tomorrow. If so, Tuesday looks more clear and may be a better day. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Rob Spaul () 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!!!