Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 27, 2026 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 1 Turkey Vulture 16 2333 6628 Osprey 1 33 38 Bald Eagle 2 37 78 Northern Harrier 2 35 44 Sharp-shinned Hawk 45 792 892 Cooper's Hawk 2 54 124 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 10 357 Broad-winged Hawk 121 2443 2443 Red-tailed Hawk 6 230 500 Rough-legged Hawk 0 3 7 Golden Eagle 0 5 7 American Kestrel 0 31 40 Merlin 0 2 5 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 5 Unknown Accipitrine 0 6 12 Unknown Buteo 0 6 27 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 1 19 34 Total: 196 6043 11243 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: John Stevens Observers: Bouwe Bergsma, Gianpiero Tondina, John Blanchard, John Niewiadomski, Randy McClelland, Susan Fraser Visitors: Katherine Stoltz without her binoculars paid a brief visit. A few children with a parent climbed the stairs. Weather: Clear all day with some high cirrus at times. Easterly winds, light to moderate. Good visibility. Raptor Observations: Aside from some of the local TVs that circulated for much of the day, all the birds came through very quickly on the east wind. Many rode the edge of the escarpment but others were overhead. All in all, a disappointing flight for the weather conditions and date. Non-raptor Observations: Little of note. A noisy raven, two Great Blue Herons going east, quite a few White-throated Sparrows, Chipping Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, one White-crowned Sparrow, kinglets. Predictions: Weather forecast is for light rain or showers for much of the day. Not likely very good for migrating raptors. ======================================================================== Report submitted by John Stevens (jrstevens@cogeco.ca) Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://nphawkwatch.ca/ 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!!!