The Official Website & Blog of Paxton Allewell. Communications Specialist, Educator, Writer and Designer.
Posts tagged Niagara
Hawkwatching in Grimsby
Apr 14th
overlooking 40 mile creek
It’s been on my ‘to do’ list for awhile now and I finally did it this past Saturday. Hawkwatching at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimbsy, Niagara.
I’d never heard of anything like it until I moved back to Niagara. Hawkwatching is not only an activity for locals to enjoy, it’s also a unique nature experience for tourists, or for people in surrounding areas to enjoy too. I went with my mom and we met a friendly (first-timers) couple along the trail from Burlington, which is just up the highway from Grimsby.
From early March until mid-May you can enjoy ‘Hawkwatching’ as hawks, eagles, falcons, and vultures migrate through the Niagara Peninsula on their way to nest further up North. They come along the Niagara escarpment because it allows for strong updrafts of wind, which the birds gladly glide on to conserve energy.
Hawkwatching is not just a sight to see, it’s also a serious hobby for the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPC), which has members stationed daily throughout the migration to identify and record migrating birds.There’s a special Hawkwatching lookout station (which the public can go up as well), and volunteers have binoculars to spot and track the birds.They even have an hourly tally board – like a score board at a golf tournament.
We met one of the trackers – who was a character – and he was happy to give us some insights into Hawkwatching. One thing he told us about Hawk Cliff on Lake Erie, another Hawkwatching hot spot, which is supposed to be even more spectacular than Beamer in the Fall during the winter migration – as Hawk Cliff is the ideal route for birds to travel south.
But Beamer Conservation Area is not just about Hawkwatching. It also has a ‘Lookout Trail’ which features three lookout points that overlook the town of Grimsby and Lake Ontario, and you can even see Niagara Falls hotels off in the distance. Off of one side of the trail is the 40 mile creek, a nice little valley area which is where you’ll also find the Upper and Lower Beamer Falls.
It was really cool to see all the hawks overhead during our walk and we even saw one really close along the cliff just above us. The hawks wings were spectacular and for a few moments I felt the fear of being its prey, as you could imagine the hawk sweeping down and snapping you up – just like the ‘birds’ in Avatar.
So now I can officially say that Hawkwatching is a great weekend activity. It’s like any hobby or past time. If you make a little effort you can learn something new and see the world in a different way, and you can usually get deeper and deeper into it and gain even more appreciation – i.e. Hawk Cliff.
So not only do you get to go for a little walk or hike and enjoy some beautiful views, you also get to do some hawkwatching, and you can also get right up close to Beamer Falls. You could bring a picnic along and easily make an afternoon out of it.
Happy Hawkwatching!
More info:
Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch >>
Beamer Memorial Conservation Area >>
town of grimsby below with niagara falls off in the distance
Niagara Now On Google Street View
Feb 16th
Last week it was announced that the Niagara region was available on Google Street View.
If you have problems viewing street view on my blog, see it on google maps here>>
As some of you may know, Niagara is a huge region; it’s not just Niagara Falls. Niagara has 12 municipalities and is a natural peninsula. It’s basically divided into two by the Niagara Escarpment – a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve – with some of Niagara along Lake Ontario, and some along Lake Erie. Niagara is rich in beauty and natural wonders, as well as attractions. I’m proud to live here.
So why not explore Niagara via Google Maps’ Street View? Ever wanted to see one of Niagara’s world-class wineries? Ever wanted to visit Niagara-On-The-Lake? Ever wanted to take a stroll along the Niagara Parkway? I could go on… you can see so much of Niagara virtually now, it’s incredible. Not all of Niagara was documented this time around (I believe photographs were taken last summer), such as Jordan Village’s main strip, but most major areas have been done.
Of course, Niagara isn’t the only region in the world documented by Google Street View. You can explore, Los Angeles, Paris, Toronto, Ottawa and so many more.
I’ve had some fun exploring Paris, and also looking up my old street in Ottawa where I grew up. And I look forward to using it more and more. I actually used it to get a visual of where my friend lived in Toronto before visiting this weekend, which comes in handy. It’s nice to have a little familiarity when you’re looking for an address. I don’t have the option (yet) on my cell phone, but I could see people using it quite a bit.
For more info on Google Street View see wikipedia’s article here>>
Read more detailed Welland Tribune article here>>
Google Street View allows web users to see the street view image in 360 degrees of the address or location they want to visit – either physically or virtually. Below I’ve embedded an official Google video that shows you how to use Google Street View if you’ve never used it, or don’t know all the ways to use it.
Do you use Google Street View? Have an issue with it? Please post a comment!