Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: May 05, 2022 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 2 109 8127 Osprey 0 1 27 Bald Eagle 1 1 82 Northern Harrier 5 13 61 Sharp-shinned Hawk 13 55 951 Cooper's Hawk 3 7 145 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 413 Broad-winged Hawk 56 143 1465 Red-tailed Hawk 19 24 1109 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 22 Golden Eagle 0 0 11 American Kestrel 0 1 36 Merlin 0 0 23 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 5 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 7 Unknown Buteo 0 2 31 Unknown Falcon 0 0 2 Unknown Eagle 0 0 2 Unknown Raptor 0 0 12 Short-eared Owl 0 0 1 Total: 99 358 12532 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 14:30:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours Official Counter: Sandy Darling Observers: Clive Hodder Visitors: Visitors to the hawkwatch may enter the park on foot and must follow all public health guidelines. Only pre-approved counters and spotters may drive into the park and mount the tower. Washroom facilities are open Weather: Temperature started at 10C and rose to mid-teens. Cloud cover increased as humidity increased and flight stopped. Wind from north-east was giving rising air so much of flight was at escarpment. Raptor Observations: Buteos, eagle and harrier were visible to naked eye, whereas Sharp-shinned Hawks were higher and normally found only with binocular scanning. All 5 harriers were female and Bald Eagle was adult. Non-raptor Observations: No new species - no warblers. ======================================================================== 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. 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 park vehicles (along the road) and 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. Parking is normally available inside the park. 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!!!