Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada 50TH SPRING MIGRATION COUNT IN 2024 Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 14, 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 24 408 418 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 0 35 35 Northern Harrier 0 16 17 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 10 11 Cooper's Hawk 3 28 28 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 26 125 125 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 7 252 263 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Golden Eagle 0 2 2 American Kestrel 0 2 2 Merlin 0 1 1 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1 Unknown Buteo 0 6 6 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 8 8 Total: 63 896 919 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours Official Counter: Clive Hodder Observers: Jude Szabo, Phil Waggett Visitors: Joanne Redwood and Elisa from Burlington, Troy Johnson from Vineland, Luc James and children, Matt Mills, Jessica Brousseau and Max Giffen. Weather: Light ENE breeze for most of the count. 50% cloud cover to start, increasing to 100% by the end of the count. Zero precipitation in the morning with rain starting in the afternoon. Raptor Observations: 63 birds / 5 species counted. Red-shouldered Hawk was the bird of the day, slightly outnumbering Turkey Vultures. No raptors counted in the first hour and only one in the last hour when the rain began. Non-raptor Observations: Small flock of migrating Red-winged Blackbirds, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Killdeer in the first hour of the count. Song Sparrow singing, and Downy Woodpecker in the second hour, followed by 2 Wood Ducks, Great Blue Heron, Northern Flicker and, the highlight of the third hour, 110 Tundra Swans. Belted Kingfisher, 38 Canada Geese and 7 Pine Siskins in the early afternoon, Predictions: Tomorrow should be more promising, with no rain in the forecast. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Clive Hodder (clive.hodder@sympatico.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!!!