Beaver Mines and Steeples, April 7

Tuesday, April 07 Beaver Mines [Day 43] 0645-2030 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was 4C, the high from 1600 to around 1830 was 9C when a cold front passed that reduced the temperature to 1.5C at 1900 and at 2030 it was -1C. Winds were favourable SW-WSW 40-50 gusting 65 km/h to 1830 when the ground winds switched to ENE 20-30 gusting 50 km/h although the WSW winds persisted on the ridge to 1900. Cloud cover was 60-100% cirrostratus, altostratus, cirrus and cumulus to 1500 that reduced to 10% scattered cumulus at 1600 and was then 30-70% cumulus for the rest of the day. There was no precipitation of any kind and viewing conditions were excellent all day. The day started promisingly with the first Golden Eagle gliding high to the NNW at 0657, but the second Golden Eagle, that was the 1000^th of the season, did not appear until 0912 and by 1100 only 4 migrants had been seen. The pace then quickened and there was a steady movement of raptors to 1900 after which only a single Bald Eagle moved north at 1932. The final count was 91 birds of 10 species that comprised 2 Turkey Vultures (1a, 1u) that were the first of the season, 25 Bald Eagles (15a, 1sa2, 9j), 3 adult Northern Harriers (1 male, 2 females), a season-high 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 5u), 30 Red-tailed Hawks (28 calurus: 23 light (21a, 1j, 1u), 5a dark; and 2a dark harlani), 1 adult light morph Ferruginous Hawk, 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 1 unidentified dark morph Buteo, 16 Golden Eagles (11a, 5j), a season-high 4 columbarius Merlins (3 males, 1 female) and 1 adult female Peregrine Falcon. At Mount Lorette George Halmazna reported 18 migrants in 12.42 hours of observation that comprised 5 Bald Eagles (2a, 2j, 1u), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 adult dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 10 Golden Eagles (7a, 1sa, 1j, 1u) and 1u American Kestrel that was the first of the year. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 8 Canada Geese, 18 Mallards, 1 pair of Hooded Mergansers that were new for the year, 5 Wild Turkeys, 6 Rock Pigeons, 2 Greater Sandhill Cranes that flew high to the NE at 1030 for the first seasonal record, 1 Killdeer, 1 Great blue Heron that perched beside the creek for 2 hours, 1 Blue Jay, 42 American Crows, 19 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 35 American Robins, 70 European Starlings, 24 Evening Grosbeaks, 13 Pine Grosbeaks, 60 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 37 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 cismontanus and 35 montanus). Two adult Sharp-shinned Hawks briefly passed through the site but caused little disturbance.

13.75 hours (519.7) TUVU 2 (2), BAEA 25 (289), NOHA 3 (16), SSHA 7 (38), RTHA 30 (112), FEHA 1 (2), RLHA 1 (52), UB 1 (4), GOEA 16 (1014), MERL 4 (9), PEFA 1 (4) TOTAL 91 (1591)

Tuesday, April 07 Steeples [Day 32] 1200-1830 (Vance Mattson). It was a beautiful day with a temperature that reached 12C, moderate SW winds and 0-30% cumulus, altocumulus and thin altostratus that gave sunny skies. Despite these apparently ideal conditions only 4 migrants were seen: 1u Turkey Vulture that was the first migratory bird of the species seen, 2 adult Bald Eagles, and 1u Golden Eagle. Non-migrants were 8 Turkey Vultures, 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult female Northern Harrier (the first of the year), 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks that were active throughout including a brief display flight over the site.

6.5 hours (168.8) TUVU 1 (1), BAEA 2 (110), GOEA 1 (318) TOTAL 4 (440)