Beaver Mines and Steeples, April 3

Thursday, April 03 Beaver Mines [Day 39] 0645-1945 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was -15C, the high at 1500 and 1700 was -4C and it was -8C at 1945 when we gave up for the day. Winds were SW 10-20 km/h to 1225 when they switched to ENE-NE 10-15 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100-80% cumulus and stratus to 1225 that brought occasional flurries that briefly obscured the ridge, but at 1225 steady snow began that persisted to 1850 that, apart from brief periods, completely obscured the ridge to 1850 when there was 6 cm of fresh snow on the ground. The ridge completely cleared between 1850 and 1935 but was obscured again at 1945 when snow again began to fall. Only 5 migrant raptors were seen: 1adult Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew high to the NNW at 0951, an adult Golden Eagle that flew high to the north at 1056, 2 adult Golden Eagles that flew high to the NNW at 1151, and a second adult Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew low to the north in a brief period of lighter snow at 1355. Caroline Lambert reported that observation was not possible at Mount Lorette because of persistent snow that obscured the ridges. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 2 Canada Geese, 4 Mallards, 10 Rock Pigeons, 1 Northern Shrike, 2 Blue Jays, 2 Black-billed Magpies, 68 American Crows that flew to the SW to roost at 1825, 27 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 5 Mountain Chickadees, 5 European Starlings, 2 Evening Grosbeaks, 53 Pine Grosbeaks, 1 American Tree Sparrow and 55 Dark-eyed Juncos (5 cismontanus, 50 montanus). The site was regularly visited by about 3 non-migratory adult Sharp-shinned Hawks between 0856 and 1709 that periodically cleared the area of birds and caught and dined on at least two Juncos. It is notable that the only large feeding flock of about 50 birds occurred after 1800 when the hawks had gone to roost.

13 hours (465) SSHA 2 (27), GOEA 3 (922) TOTAL 5 (1320)

Thursday, April 03 Steeples [Day 28] 1100-1400 and 1900-1915 (Vance Mattson). At 1100 the temperature was -3C, winds were light SW and it was sunny with 50% altostratus, cumulus and cirrus cloud cover. By 1400, however, 100% low stratus obscured the ridges, snow began to fall and Vance went home without having seen any migrants. The mountains remained obscured until 1700 when Vance returned to the site where cloud cover quickly reduced to 50% altostratus and cumulus with moderate SW winds that again failed to produce any migrants. Non-migrants were resident adult Golden Eagles seen on three occasions and a single Red-tailed Hawk.

5 hours (147.3) TOTAL 0 (420)