RMERF counts, March 9

Saturday, March 9 Mount Lorette [Day 8] 0745-1800 (Blake Weis, assisted by Cliff Hansen). At the start the temperature was -8C, the high was 1C at 1500 and it was -2C at 1800. Ground winds were SW 0-5 km/h to 1000 after which they were W-SW 0-5 gusting 12-25 km/h for the rest of the day; ridge winds were light to moderate WSW to 1300, moderate to 1600 after which they were moderate WNW. Cloud cover was a mix of 30-70% altocumulus, cirrus, cirrocumulus and cumulus all day with the exception of 1500 when it reached 80% and all ridges were clear. Despite these favourable migration and observing conditions only 3 migrant raptors were seen, although the total was the highest for the season so far! At 1224 an adult Bald Eagle soared over Hummingbird plume Hill, glided to Mount Lorette and on to the NW, at 1410 an adult Golden Eagle crossed the valley from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette and on to the NW, and at 1426 a juvenile Bald Eagle flew above the valley towards the north. Other birds in the area were 1 drumming Hairy Woodpecker, 4 Canada Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 7 Common Ravens, 6 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 3 Boreal Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Brown Creeper, 35 Common Redpolls, 24 White-winged Crossbills and 1 Pine Siskin. The sunny conditions produced a season high 28 visitors at the site.

10.25 hours (71.41) BAEA 2 (6), GOEA 1 (1) TOTAL 3 (7)

Saturday, March 9 Beaver Mines [Day 8] 0700-1830 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0700 was -6C, the high was briefly 0.5C at 1400 and it was -4C at 1830. Winds were WNW-W 10-15 km/h to 1100 and mainly WSW 5-20 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus and altostratus to 1100 that briefly produced light snow around 0900, but after 1200 mainly sunny conditions prevailed with 30-70 % cumulus cloud cover to 1800 when it became 100% cirrus, cirrocumulus and altocumulus that quickly thinned to 20% by 1830. Despite these apparently favourable conditions only 7 migrant raptors were seen between 1120 and 1738 that comprised 4 adult Bald Eagles, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 2 adult Golden Eagles. Three of the Bald Eagles moved between 1532 and 1552. The resident pair of Golden Eagles soared briefly above the ridge at 1230. Other birds seen were a tight flock of 23 Canada Geese that flew low to the SW at 1814, 8 Rock Pigeons, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern [Red-shafted] Flicker, 10 Blue Jays, 26 Common Ravens, with again no obvious evening roosting movement, 6 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 31 Evening Grosbeaks, 4 Common Redpolls, 59 Pine Siskins and 6 Dark-eyed Juncos (3 hyamelis and 3 montanus).

11.5 hours (89) BAEA 4 (13), RLHA 1 (4), GOEA 2 (21) TOTAL 7 (38)

Saturday, March 9 Steeples [Day 6] 1200-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature at 1200 was -1C and rose to a high of 5C, conditions were calm and 30-50% cumulus cloud cover provided mainly sunny conditions and clear ridges. A season high total of 13 migrant raptors were seen between 1215 and 1609 comprising 8 Bald Eagles (5a, 3j) and 5 adult Golden Eagles. Eight eagles moved before 1300 after which migration became more sporadic. All birds appeared over the flank and in some cases over the peak of Mount Bill Nye with some birds soaring for extended periods before gliding to the north. A resident juvenile Golden Eagle hunted along the ridge at 1317 and resident adult Golden Eagles were seen on 2 occasions.

5.5 hours (24.25) BAEA 8 (11), GOEA 5 (5) TOTAL 13 (16)