Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 107 158 158
Osprey 0 0 0
Bald Eagle 0 8 8
Northern Harrier 0 1 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 1 1
Cooper's Hawk 0 2 2
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 1 1
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 8 36 36
Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1
Golden Eagle 1 1 1
American Kestrel 0 0 0
Merlin 0 0 0
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 2 2
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Observation start time: 07:30:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 9.5 hours
Official Counter: Chris Escott
Observers: Catherine Manschot
Visitors:
Tom Catcher and Paul Madley from Niagara-on-the-Lake stopped by the tower
in early afternoon.
Weather:
Clear blue sky almost all day, with occasional slight cloud; temperatures
went from just below freezing to just above; north wind was brisk to start
but diminished a bit as the day wore on, and it seemed a bit calmer on the
tower as the north wind was deflected upwards at the escarpment.
Raptor Observations:
A steady trickle of Turkey Vultures started just before noon and continued
through the end of the day, with an occasional Red-tailed Hawk sailing by.
Birds were mainly low and flying along the edge of the escarpment but in
later afternoon they were higher in the sky. Best bird of the day was a
Golden Eagle that sailed overhead in easy unaided vision just before 3:00
PM. No other species were counted although an adult Bald Eagle and a female
type (juvenile?) Northern Harrier flew east and seemingly not migrating.
One of the local Copper's Hawk perched in a tree overlooking the tower for
a good 15 minutes.
Non-raptor Observations:
A Carolina Wren sang twice from the woods, two Common Raven flew by
(singles) and a Pileated Woodpecker called from woods beyond the Hem-Pine,
but there were no other noteworthy non-raptor observations.
Predictions:
Forecast weather is similar to today, so a similar flight might be
possible. Interestingly, the number of raptors observed today at Beamer far
exceeded the Braddock Bay counts either yesterday or today, suggesting the
flight line is more directly from the south.
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Report submitted by Chris Escott (chris@escott.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.