Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area (12 May 2026) 78 Raptors
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Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS
Visitors:
A family with young children from London, Ontario, and a couple from Beamsville and Smithville came up the watch tower in the afternoon. A relatively few walkers or dog walkers at the Beamer's Conservation Area.
Weather:
A cool day in May. The temperature ranged between 7 °C and 10 °C with 8 to 14 km/hr NNE to ENE in the last three hours of the count period. The skies were clear at the beginning, and the clouds moved as the day progressed. The visibility was 10-14 km.
Raptor Observations:
I was pleasantly surprised to see 78 raptors, more than expected, at the tail-end of the raptor migration season. There were predominantly Turkey Vulture, followed by Broad-winged Hawk. Broad-winged Hawks arrived in a group of 3 or 4 and were kettling and showing off their tail patterns. It was fun to watch them "kettling"—when they soar together in a rising thermal—is a hallmark of their migration and social behavior. Three Bald Eagles were observed: a 4th-year eagle at 10:20 am, an adult at 10:40 am, and another adult at 1:10 pm. In the last 30 minutes, no hawks were observed.
Non-raptor Observations:
The local Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawks flew around. Two local Cooper’s Hawks made rounds. A total of 25 species of passerines were seen or heard. Hermit Thrush and other passerines sang and kept me company for the first two hours. My first-of-the-year warblers include Black and white Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Red-eyed Vireo, and Blue-headed Vireo.
Predictions:
Showers and thunderstorms are expected tomorrow.
Report submitted by Deena Errampalli (deenaer...@bell.net)
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!!!
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS
| Daily Raptor Counts: May 12, 2026 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Turkey Vulture | 43 | 209 | 6858 |
| Osprey | 1 | 6 | 46 |
| Bald Eagle | 3 | 20 | 98 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 7 | 52 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 6 | 118 | 1029 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 10 | 136 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 357 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 16 | 116 | 2567 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 4 | 29 | 531 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| American Kestrel | 2 | 3 | 44 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 28 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 2 | 3 | 37 |
| Total: | 78 | 525 | 11826 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Deena Errampalli |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
A family with young children from London, Ontario, and a couple from Beamsville and Smithville came up the watch tower in the afternoon. A relatively few walkers or dog walkers at the Beamer's Conservation Area.
Weather:
A cool day in May. The temperature ranged between 7 °C and 10 °C with 8 to 14 km/hr NNE to ENE in the last three hours of the count period. The skies were clear at the beginning, and the clouds moved as the day progressed. The visibility was 10-14 km.
Raptor Observations:
I was pleasantly surprised to see 78 raptors, more than expected, at the tail-end of the raptor migration season. There were predominantly Turkey Vulture, followed by Broad-winged Hawk. Broad-winged Hawks arrived in a group of 3 or 4 and were kettling and showing off their tail patterns. It was fun to watch them "kettling"—when they soar together in a rising thermal—is a hallmark of their migration and social behavior. Three Bald Eagles were observed: a 4th-year eagle at 10:20 am, an adult at 10:40 am, and another adult at 1:10 pm. In the last 30 minutes, no hawks were observed.
Non-raptor Observations:
The local Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawks flew around. Two local Cooper’s Hawks made rounds. A total of 25 species of passerines were seen or heard. Hermit Thrush and other passerines sang and kept me company for the first two hours. My first-of-the-year warblers include Black and white Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Red-eyed Vireo, and Blue-headed Vireo.
Predictions:
Showers and thunderstorms are expected tomorrow.
Report submitted by Deena Errampalli (deenaer...@bell.net)
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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