Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 30, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 647 3566 3566 Osprey 0 1 1 Bald Eagle 5 50 50 Northern Harrier 1 15 15 Sharp-shinned Hawk 10 48 48 Cooper's Hawk 1 34 34 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 3 321 321 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 39 575 575 Rough-legged Hawk 0 6 6 Golden Eagle 0 5 5 American Kestrel 1 9 9 Merlin 0 2 2 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 2 Unknown Accipiter 0 3 3 Unknown Buteo 4 12 12 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 4 5 5 Total: 715 4654 4654 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: Sandy Darling Observers: Clive Hodder, Dave Sked, John Niewiadomski Visitors: Many visitors, but names not obtained for many because of the very active flight. Among the visitors were Markle Decarolis, Carol Horvat, Doug Gilland, Keith and Kim Park with 2 children Weather: Sunny day with temperature below freezing and rising to about 4 C, but with biting wind from SW. Raptor Observations: Turkey Vultures dominated with 647 in total with 212 in first full hour and 131 in second. Flight started along escarpment, but later expanded to include birds in the south distance so that a number of birds could not be identified by species, 2 Bald Eagles not aged and sex of 1 Northern Harrier could not be determined. Clive Hodder, Dave Sked, John and one anonymous observer and others on the tower were a great help in finding and (for the most part) identifying raptors. Non-raptor Observations: 9 Sandhill Cranes. No new species, but most attention was skyward. Predictions: Rain and snow so probably no observations ======================================================================== Report submitted by Sandy Darling (darlinga@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!!!