Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area (09 May 2025) 29 Raptors

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May 9, 2025, 7:27:01 PMMay 9
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Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS

Daily Raptor Counts: May 09, 2025
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture001
Turkey Vulture142086864
Osprey1433
Bald Eagle51192
Northern Harrier0437
Sharp-shinned Hawk271855
Cooper's Hawk019126
American Goshawk012
Red-shouldered Hawk00232
Broad-winged Hawk2191986
Red-tailed Hawk428741
Rough-legged Hawk009
Golden Eagle004
American Kestrel0326
Merlin009
Peregrine Falcon005
Unknown Accipitrine0013
Unknown Buteo0021
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle002
Unknown Raptor016
Swainson's Hawk111
Total:2937011065


Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official CounterKatherine Stoltz
Observers:



Visitors:
Nobody visited me. The usual contingent of dog-walkers and hikers.

Weather:
Mainly sunny skies with a slight haze in the morning. Temps started at 6 and reached 12 degrees C by the end of the count. Cool north winds at a modest 9km with the eagerly anticipated easterly component only in the last hour.

Raptor Observations:
Today was the last uncovered day in the 2025 schedule and even dangling the possibility of a Mississippi Kite got no bites, so I put on my big girl pants and ascended the tower for my final day of the season. Not a lot of raptor migration but I was rewarded with juvenile Swainson's Hawk (see hourly notes for details). 7 species in total, with TV taking the gold (as usual), Bald Eagles making a last minute push for silver, and juvenile Red-tails coming in 3rd. No clear flight path. Local vultures very active. Local Red-tail and Cooper's seen.

Non-raptor Observations:
Not a lot of warbler activity. I heard or saw Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Chestnut-sided Warblers and Northern Parula. White-throated Sparrows are still hanging around.

Predictions:
Another brilliant sunny day, but I do not have intel on what is in the pipeline. Still time for a MIKI!


Report submitted by Katherine Stoltz (Katherine Stoltzstolt...@gmail.com)
Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://nphawkwatch.ca/
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]




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!!!
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