Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 15, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 1 Turkey Vulture 17 2315 5881 Osprey 1 13 14 Bald Eagle 0 24 74 Northern Harrier 4 17 32 Sharp-shinned Hawk 23 675 723 Cooper's Hawk 3 47 81 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 51 372 Broad-winged Hawk 3 47 47 Red-tailed Hawk 0 379 954 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 8 Golden Eagle 0 0 5 American Kestrel 1 23 32 Merlin 0 5 7 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 4 Unknown Accipiter 0 10 13 Unknown Buteo 0 5 17 Unknown Falcon 0 2 2 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 5 10 Short-eared Owl 0 0 1 Total: 52 3622 8278 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Phil Waggett Observers: Catherine Manschot, Gianpiero Tondina, Markus Legzdins Visitors: A busy day. Catherine Manschot, markus ledgzins, Gianpiero Tondina were invaluable spotting the birds. Catherine Manschot's hawkwatchers group was also present--Sarah Stover, Jason Van Veen, Sherry Van Veen, Tyler VanVeen, Judith Moore, and Sonia Ellis, Simon and Brain Henshaw. Barry Cherriere also visited the park. Weather: The first hour was overcast turning into a mix of sun and cloud for the remainder of the day. A light northeast to north, north-east breeze for most of the day. No precipitation and mild to 16 degrees C. Raptor Observations: A very light flight indicating few birds in the pipeline today; the birds were spread out from the escarpment to well south of it. Local coops and turkey vultures were very active. Non-raptor Observations: Numerous blue jays, northern flickers, tree swallows seen today. Other spring migrants included common loon (4), purple finch (13), a male pine warbler, several ruby-crowned kinglets, 1 yellow-bellied sapsucker, 1 great blue heron, rough-winged swallow, wood duck (pr), savannah sparrow. Also seen was a common raven. Predictions: Likely quiet again. Weather conditions will approximate today but all the New York hawk watches reported light activity. I wouldn't predict an uptick in the flight until Wednesday or Thursday of this week following relatively poor weather on Monday and Tuesday. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Phillip Waggett (philip waggett <philipwaggett@hotmail.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. &copy;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!!!