Tuesday, April 10 Mount Lorette [Day 37] 0710-2010 (Blake Weis, assisted by Brian McBride). The starting temperature was -1C, the high was 10C (1500-1800) and it was 6C at the end of observation. Ground winds were variable NE-NW 0-5 km/h to 0900 and then were S-SW 0-5 gusting to 20 km/h for the rest of the day; ridge winds were light to moderate SW all day. Cloud cover was 90-100% altostratus and altocumulus all day, with some cumulus developing after 1800. The east ridges were clear to 1900 after which they were 10-30% obscured, and the west was clear to 1700 after which it was 20-40% obscured. Very light rain fell after 1800. There was a disappointing migration of only 10 raptors between 1347 and 1910 that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 8 Golden Eagles (3a, 1sa, 4u). The last bird, a subadult Golden Eagle, moved on the western route, and the rest were located gliding low either on the Fisher Range or Mount Lorette. A resident Northern Goshawk called south of the site early in the morning, and a resident adult Golden Eagle flew from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Olympic Summit. Other birds recorded were 16 Canada Geese, a pair of Common Mergansers, 4 Killdeer, 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker, 3 Grey Jays, 9 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 4 Boreal Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, the season’s first Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire, 4 singing Varied Thrushes, 80 American Robins, 120 Bohemian Waxwings, 12 Dark-eyed Juncos and 7 Common Redpolls. Six visitors came to the site today.

13 hours (421.8) BAEA 1 (151), RTHA 1 (13), GOEA 8 (2087) TOTAL 10 (2319)

Tuesday, April 10 Beaver Mines [Day 44] 0700-2030 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was 3C, the high was 11C at 1500 and 1600 and it was still 6C at 2030. Winds were WNW-W 10-25 km/h to 1500 after which they were WSW-W 20-30 gusting to 40 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100% grey uniform altostratus to 1600 when it began to break and was then 90-80% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus for the rest of the day. Very light rain fell at 2000. Movement was initially very slow and the first bird, a Merlin, did not move until 1011 and by 1300 only 5 migrants had been seen, but the pace then gradually quickened and by 1939 80 migrants of 8 species had been recorded. The count was 27 Bald Eagles (25a, 2j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 18 adult Red-tailed Hawks (17 light calurus and 1 dark harlani), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 26 Golden Eagles (17a, 2sa, 7j), 1u American Kestrel, 2 male columbarius Merlins and 2 adult Peregrine Falcons. Thirty-two of the birds, including 15 Bald Eagles, moved between 1800 and 1900. Denise Cocciolone-Amatto and Pat Lucas observed on Vicki Ridge between 1230 and 1511 and counted 9 migrants: 5 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult Cooper’s Hawk, 2 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (1a, 1j) and 1 adult Golden Eagle.

13.5 hours (443.2) BAEA 27 (287), NOGO 1 (19), RTHA 18 (90), RLHA 2 (92), UB 1 (7), GOEA 26 (1316), AMKE 1 (4), MERL 2 (10), PEFA 2 (5) TOTAL 80 (1870)

Tuesday, April 10 Steeples [Day 30] 1530-1630 (Vance Mattson). Vance arrived at the site at 1530, but rain commenced almost immediately and by 1630 the mountains and valley were completely obscured and the rain persisted. A Red-tailed Hawk soaring high above the ridge at 1530 was considered to be a resident bird. The Osprey seen yesterday on the Kootenay River was joined by its mate in nest-building activity in the afternoon, and newly-returned Red-tailed Hawks were conspicuous throughout the valley.

1 hour (127.3) TOTAL 0 (727)

Monday, April 9 Mount Lorette [Day 36] 0900-2030 (George Halmazna, assisted by Dan Parliament to 1430, and Dan Parliament, assisted by Rosemary to 2030). The starting temperature was -4C but rose to a very pleasant high of 7C (1200-1400 and 1600-1800) and was still 5C at 2030. Ground winds were SW all day, 0-5 gusting 15 km/h to 1200, 10-15 gusting 25 km/h to 1800 and then 5-10 gusting 15 km/h to the end of the day; ridge winds were moderate SW to 1700, then light to moderate. The ridges were clear all day. The conditions produced the highest April count this season with 72 raptors of 4 species moving between 1047 and 2003, that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 2j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 66 Golden Eagles (39a, 3sa, 4j) and 2 unidentified eagles. The movement was exclusively high from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette to 1736 after which birds were initially located high above Mount Lorette and presumably originated from the Wasootch Creek area. Movement was fairly steady all day with high hourly counts of 16 (1200-1300), 20 (1300-1400) and 11 (1900-2000). The resident pair of Golden Eagles and a non-migrant juvenile Bald Eagle were also noted. Other birds in the area were 2 unidentified swans that flew to the south at 2005, 52 Canada Geese, 1 Common Goldeneye, 2 Ruffed Grouse, one of which was drumming, 1 Killdeer, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 2 Grey Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 13 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 2 Varied Thrushes, 65 American Robins and 4 European Starlings. Eight visitors were at the site today.

13.58 (408.8) BAEA 3 (150), RLHA 1 (10), GOEA 66 (2079), UE 2 (24) TOTAL 72 (2309)

Monday, April 9 Beaver Mines [Day 43] 0700-2015 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was 3C, the high was 10C at 1300 and 1400 and it was 6C at 2015. Winds were W-WSW all day, 20-40 gusting 50 km/h and cloud cover was 0-60% cumulus and altocumulus to 1800 after which it was 80-100% thin cirrostratus, altocumulus and cumulus. Observing and migration conditions were excellent all day and produced the highest ever April count of 113 birds of a season-high 10 species that moved between 0950 and 2006. The count was a spring record 48 Bald Eagles (40a, 5sa, 3j), 1 adult female Northern Harrier, 6 Sharp-shinned Hawks (4a, 2u), 1 adult light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 16 Red-tailed Hawks (14 calurus: 12 light morphs (11a, 1u) and 2 adult dark morphs; and 2 adult dark morph harlani), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 36 Golden Eagles (32a, 1sa, 3j), 2 male American Kestrels, 1 female columbarius Merlin and 1 adult female light grey morph Gyrfalcon. Movement was very steady after 1100 with high hourly counts of 20 between 1500 and 1600 and again between 1900 and 2000. A Great Blue Heron that landed in Beaver Creek at 1655 was the first for the season.

13.25 hours (429.7) BAEA 48 (260), NOHA 1 (2), SSHA 6 (16), BWHA 1 (2), RTHA 16 (72), RLHA 1 (90), GOEA 36 (1290), AMKE 2 (3), MERL 1 (8), GYRF 1 (7) TOTAL 113 (1790)

Monday, April 9 Steeples [Day 29] 1530-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 12C, winds were moderate S, and 60-80% altostratus and cumulus cloud gave sunny periods. Three hours observing from the Bill Nye site produced only 4 migrant Golden Eagles (2sa, 2j) between 1731 and 1812. Non-migrants, however, were more plentiful with 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 hunting Red-tailed Hawk and 1 adult Golden Eagle present. Most common, however, were Turkey Vultures with up to 15 in the air for much of the observation period in kettles of up to 7 birds: none showed any signs of moving to the north however. The season’s first Osprey was seen along the Kootenay River in the morning, and was seen rebuilding its nest in the afternoon.

3 hours (126.3) GOEA 4 (564) TOTAL 4 (727)

Sunday, April 8 Mount Lorette [Day 35] 0900-2030 (Jim Davis, assisted by Rosemary). The temperature at 0900 was -11C and the high was -2C from 1700-2030. Ground winds were light or calm except for 1300 and 1400 when they were E 7-13 km/h. Ridge winds were calm to 1100, mainly moderate E to 1700, after which they were moderate SW for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1100 and 100-70% stratus to 1700 when it was altostratus and cumulus for the rest of the day. The east ridges were clear to 1200, became 20% obscured at 1300 and 100% at 1400 so the observers moved to Lusk Creek. After 1500 the east was again clear and the observers watched from Wasootch Creek for the rest of the day. The west was variably obscured 40-90% to 1600 after which it was 20% for the rest of the day. No snow fell at the observing sites but there was extensive snow to the south in the valley at 1400. The first migrant seen was a juvenile Bald Eagle at 1159 which was the only raptor seen at the Hay Meadow site. No migrants were seen at Lusk Creek but between 1511 and 2018 there was a strong movement of 65 birds that mainly glided fast from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette. The final count of 66 birds was 6 Bald Eagles (3a, 3j), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 adult dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 61 Golden Eagles (46a, 2j, 10u). The season’s first Great Blue Heron was flushed from the river at 1117 from where it flew low to the north, and other birds seen at the Hay Meadow site were 1 Killdeer, 1 American Crow, 4 Common Ravens, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 11 American Robins and the season’s first Pine Siskin. Sixteen visitors came to the Hay Meadow site up to 1400.

11.5 hours (395.2) BAEA 7 (147). SSHA 1 (8), RTHA 1 (12), GOEA 61 (2013) TOTAL 70 (2237)

Sunday, April 8 Beaver Mines [Day 42] 0700-1830 (Peter Sherrington).The snowfall ceased early in the morning leaving 8 cm of fresh snow on the ground. The temperature at was -11C at 0700, the high at 1500 was 0C and it was -4C at 1830. The forecast moderate W winds failed to materialise and winds were light (5-10 km/h) all day, W to 1600 and then ESE. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus and cumulus to 1100, then variable 30-70% thin altostratus, cirrus and altocumulus to 1700, and 80-90% altostratus to 1830. Observing conditions were good all day. The first migrant, a Golden Eagle, was not seen until 1116 and the light winds only produced a total of 20 migrants of 5 species up to 1740: 4 adult Bald Eagles, 4 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 juvenile dark morph Ferruginous Hawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark) and 9 Golden Eagles (7a, 2j). Fourteen of the birds were seen between 1416 and 1557.

11.5 hours (416.5) BAEA 4 (212), RTHA 4 (56), FEHA 1 (5), RLHA 2 (89), GOEA 9 (1254) TOTAL 20 (1677)

Sunday, April 8 Steeples [Day 28] 1330-1915 (Vance Mattson). As the ridges were obscured Vance observed from his house in Wasa from 1330 where he saw 57 migrants of 7 species between 1405 and 1605. Most of the movement was over the Kootenay River to the west although several birds passed directly over the house and others moved over Wasa Lake to the east. The count was 3 Turkey Vultures (2a, 1u), 21 Bald Eagles (11a, 5sa, 5j), 1u Northern Goshawk, 12 adult Red-tailed Hawks (10 calurus: 8 light and 2 dark, and 2 dark harlani), 3 Rough-legged Hawks (2 light, 1 dark), 16 Golden Eagles (11a, 1sa, 2j, 2u) and 2 American Kestrels (1 adult female and 1u). Thirty-two migrants moved before 1500, 19 between 1500 and 1600 and 7 after 1600. At Wasa the temperature was 7C, winds were N light to moderate and cloud cover in the valley was 90% stratus and cumulus that thickened by 1530 and brought rain at 1605. Oddly, at this time the mountain ridges to the east began to clear so Vance went to the regular Bill Nye site between 1630 and 1845. There rain and thunderstorms began at 1655 that lasted to 1715, which then dispersed leaving sunny conditions with 50% cumulus and a temperature of 10C. Only one migrant, an adult Bald Eagle was seen there, however, and Vance returned home and observed from 1900-1915 but saw no further migrants. Non-migrants at Wasa were 2 Turkey Vultures, 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 2j) and 2 adult Red-tailed Hawks, and at Bill Nye there were 3 adult Bald Eagles.

5.25 (123.3) TUVU 3 (3), BAEA 21 (140), NOGO 1 (2), RTHA 12 (13), RLHA 3 (3), GOEA 16 (560), AMKE 2 (2) TOTAL 58 (723)

Saturday, April 7 Mount Lorette [Day 34] 0710-1700 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Ruth Morrow). The temperature at 0710 was -16C, the high was -3C at 1400 and 1500 and it was -5C at 1700. It was calm to 0900 after which NE winds gradually increased throughout the day and reached 15-20 gusting 30 km/h late in the afternoon. Ridge winds could not be determined but probably reflected the ground winds. It was cloudless until 0900 after which 80% cirrus and altostratus developed to 1500, after which it was 80% altostratus. Ridges were clear all day apart from after 1600 when Mounts Kidd and Bogart became obscured. A total of 10 Golden Eagles (5a, 4u) moved sporadically between 0920 and 1415. The first 3 birds, like the last birds yesterday, were located between 0920 and 1000 over Mount McGillivray; the next 5 birds moved directly from Mount McDougall at the southern end of the Fisher Range to Skogan Pass between 1200 and 1400, and the last 2 birds were located over Hummingbird Plume Hill. All birds flapped extensively. A single Red-tailed Hawk was considered a resident. Other birds seen were a pair of American Wigeon, 3 Common Goldeneyes, 5 Common Mergansers, 1 Killdeer, 2 American Crows, 10 Common Ravens, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 7 American Robins and 1 Song Sparrow. Sixteen visitors to the site were enlightened by Ruth’s explanations of the RMERF project.

9.83 hours (383.7) GOEA 10 (1952) TOTAL 10 (2167)

Saturday, April 7 Beaver Mines [Day 41] 0700-1445 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was -17C, the high was -7C at 1300 and it was –9C when heavy snow brought observation to an end at 1445, Winds were light throughout, W-NNW to 1000 then E-ESE for the rest of the observation period. Cloud cover was initially 10% altostratus but it rapidly clouded over and was 100% stratus by 0830 that then persisted for the rest of the day. Light snow commenced at 1430 that became heavy and completely obscured the ridge at 1445. Once again light winds proved inimical to raptor movement and only 4 migrants were seen: a late subadult Bald Eagle at 1352, adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks at 1244 and 1251 and a juvenile Golden Eagle at 1433 that soared high above the ridge as the snow began to fall before it flew north into the increasingly heavy snowfall. At 1056 two Trumpeter Swans and a Tundra Swan flew together to the north in a tight triad low and immediately overhead, and the contrast in the size, proportions and rapidity of the wing beats of the two species were striking. Like raptors, the species of swan are often easier to distinguish in flight than when they are on the ground! The snow is now forecast to end around midnight and west winds are expected tomorrow so there is the prospect of a decent raptor movement.

7.75 hours (405) BAEA 1 (208), RTHA 2 (52), GOEA 1 (1245)

Saturday, April 7 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Heavy wet snow began to fall at 1330 and showed no signs of stopping.

Friday, April 6 Mount Lorette [Day 33] 0625-2025 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Rick Robb and Patrick and Patricia Farley). The temperature at 0700 was -14C which reached a high of -4C at 1600 and was -9C when observation ceased. Ground winds were mainly NNE and occasionally NNW 0-3 km/h to 1000 and then 0-4 gusting to 35 km/h for the rest of the day, and ridge winds were probably light NE to 1400 and light to moderate SW thereafter. Cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1400 that brought light to moderate snow and obscured all ridges to 1100 and then very light snow to 1400. After 1400 the cloud cover was 60-90% stratus with cumulus and altostratus developing during the last two hours of the day. The east ridges were 10-20% obscured between 1100 and 1400 after which they were clear, and the west continued to be completely obscured to 1400 after which it remained 10% obscured. Despite the brutal “spring” conditions there was a surprisingly robust raptor migration with 36 birds of 3 species moving between 1228 and 1833, although the second Golden Eagle of the day was not seen until 1455. The count was 1 adult Bald Eagle, 33 Golden Eagles (19a, 6j 8u), 1 unidentified eagle and the season’s first Merlin of unknown race, sex or age. Only three of the birds were seen on the western route and the rest moved low with flapping flight against the face of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette and Mount McGillivray where several of the eagles were initially located. Maximum movement was 11 birds between 1700 and 1800 and 9 between 1800 and 1900. A non-migrant adult Bald Eagle and a resident adult Golden Eagle were also noted. Other birds recorded were 1 Tundra Swan, 1 male Common Merganser, 1 Killdeer, 14 Common Ravens, 12 American Robins, 4 European Starlings and 1 Dark-eyed Junco of the race cismontanus. Eight visitors were seen at the site but none lingered long in the bitter conditions.

14 hours (373.9) BAEA 1 (140), GOEA 33 (1942), UE 1 (22), MERL 1 (1) TOTAL 36 (2157)

Friday, April 6 Beaver Mines [Day 40] 0700-2000 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Raymond Toal). The starting temperature was -15C, the high was -8C (1400-1600) and it was -10C at 2000. Winds were mainly light (<10 km/h) E all day, and cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1300 that produced light snow and mainly obscured the ridge to 1145, when 8 cm of fresh snow was on the ground. Cloud cover from 1400-1700 was 60-80% altostratus and altocumulus and 1800-2000 was 90% cirrostratus, cirrus and altocumulus. Hazy sunshine prevailed throughout the afternoon and observing conditions were good once the snow stopped. The light upslope winds produced a slow migration of 18 raptors of 4 species between 1255 and 1715 that comprised 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 15 Golden Eagles (12a, 2sa, 1j). Many of the birds soared high and all interspersed flapping with their high glides to the N and NNW. Twelve of the birds were seen between 1424 and 1531 and nothing moved after 1715 when wind on the ridge appeared to be completely lacking.

13 hours (397.2) SSHA 1 (10), RTHA 1 (50), RLHA 1 (87), GOEA 15 (1244) TOTAL 18 (1653)

Friday, April 6 Steeples [Day 27] 1230-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 0C at 1230 and rose to a high of 3C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus and altocumulus with the ridges partially obscured until 1430. A total of 10 Golden Eagles (9a, 1j) moved between 1401 and 1717 with some of the birds flapping in the calm air. Three of the birds were seen between 1401 and 1430 and 4 between 1604 and 1622; single birds occurred at 1559 and 1651 and the juvenile was the last bird of the day at 1717. Non-migrant birds were a juvenile Bald Eagle and an adult Golden Eagle. Fresh Bobcat tracks in yesterday’s thin blanket of snow were clearly visible near the site.

6 hours (118) GOEA 10 (544) TOTAL 10 (665)

Thursday, April 5 Mount Lorette [Day 32] 0725-1900 (Blake Weis assisted by Rosemary). The starting temperature was -12C, the high at 1300-1700 was -7C and it was -8C at the end of observation. Ground winds were N-NE, 5-10 km/h to 1000, 15-20 km/h to 1400 and 10-20 gusting to 40 km/h to 1700, and ridge winds were moderate NW to 1300 after which they were strong. Cloud cover was 70-90% stratocumulus, cumulus, altostratus and altocumulus to 1600, after which it was 100%. The eastern ridges were 40-90% occluded to 1600 when they were completely obscured and the west was 100% obscured to 1200, then 80-100% for the rest of the day. Light snow fell to 1000, restarted at 1400 and became moderate to heavy after 1600. Despite these unpromising conditions there was a movement of 32 raptors of 3 species between 1217 and 1527 that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 high-soaring unidentified Buteo, 28 Golden Eagles (13a, 1sa, 14u) and 2 large unidentified raptors. Two Golden Eagles flew from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette, and the Bald Eagle flew from the eastern valley to Mount Lorette, but all the other birds were located to the west, either on Olympic Summit or gliding low beneath the clouds against Mount Collembola from where they moved to the NW over Skogan Pass. The hourly counts were 7 (1217-1300), 11 (1300-1400), 9 (1400-1500) and 5 (1500-1527). Three Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) were considered non-migrants, and there was a single sighting of a resident adult Golden Eagle over Hummingbird Plume Hill. At 1700 all ridges were obscured and the snowfall was becomong heavier so the observers decided to move to Lusk Creek, stopping at Lorette Ponds en route, but no further migrants were seen. Other birds seen at the Hay Meadow site were 1 Northern [intergrade] Flicker, 1 American Crow, 4 Common Ravens, 57 American Robins, 55 of which flew low to the north in flocks of 6-26 birds, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 11 European Starlings, 1 Song Sparrow and 4 Dark-eyed Juncos. Mount Lorette Ponds yielded a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye, a female Hooded Merganser and 1 Grey Jay, and the only birds seen at Lusk Creek were a flock of 20 Bohemian Waxwings. Three Bighorn Sheep were seen on Olympic Summit and, not surprisingly, there were no visitors today.

11.58 hours (359.9) BAEA 1 (139), UB 1 (1), GOEA 28 (1909), UU (2) TOTAL 32 (2121)

Thursday, April 5 Beaver Mines (Peter Sherrington). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). There was snow all day with moderate E winds and temperatures between -10 and -8C. The ridge cleared briefly on a couple of occasions when the snow became light, but there was never any prospect of migration happening.

Thursday, April 5 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Rain, snow and overcast all day.