Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada 50TH SPRING MIGRATION COUNT IN 2024 Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 15, 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 60 468 478 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 3 38 38 Northern Harrier 1 17 18 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 11 12 Cooper's Hawk 3 31 31 American Goshawk 1 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 20 145 145 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 84 336 347 Rough-legged Hawk 1 2 2 Golden Eagle 3 5 5 American Kestrel 1 3 3 Merlin 0 1 1 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1 Unknown Buteo 1 7 7 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 8 8 Total: 179 1075 1098 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter: Sandy Darling Observers: Julia Zarankin, Tom Thomas Visitors: John Galen, Maureen Risner, Marco and various family groups Weather: Full cloud all morning and reduced in afternoon to as low as 30%. Cool and humid to start and warming to double digits (C) in afternoon. Wind mainly from NE but turned to be from south in afternoon. Raptor Observations: Eleven species including first AMERICAN GOSHAWK since 2021, 3 Golden Eagles (2 adult & 1 sub-adult photographed), 3 Bald Eagles (adult, indeterminate 2nd year). Birds were extremely high by end of day and I owe great thanks to Tom, Julia and Marco without whom numbers would have been lower. Non-raptor Observations: Most non-raptors were usual plus 1 Iceland Gull, 20 Red-breasted Mergansers, and Wood Ducks Predictions: Could be early up-flight and the weather will determine the rest ======================================================================== 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!!!