RMERF counts, March 28

Thursday, March 28 Mount Lorette [Day 26] 0715-2005 (Blake Weis, assisted by Rick Robb). The starting temperature was -2C, the high at 1600 and 1700 was 5C and it was 4C at the end of observation. Ground winds were N-NE 0-5 km/h to 1100, S-SW 0-5 gusting 10 km/h to 1700 and then N-NE 0-5 km/h again for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were light NW to 1100 and then W-NW light to moderate. Cloud cover was 100-90% cumulus, altocumulus and stratocumulus to 1000, variable 60-90% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus to 1700 and then 60% altocumulus to the end. All ridges were initially obscured but gradually cleared throughout the morning and all were completely clear by 1300. Light snow fell to 1000. There was  fairly strong raptor movement of 144 birds of 4 species between 1018 and 1915 that comprised a season-high 36 Bald Eagles (26a, 3sa, 1j, 3 undifferentiated immature birds and 3u), 102 Golden Eagles (79a, 1sa, 1j, 21u), 4 unidentified eagles, the season’s first Gyrfalcon, a grey morph and 1 Prairie Falcon. With a couple of exceptions movement was exclusively on the western route from Mount Kidd to Olympic Summit and thence to the NW over Skogan Pass to 1300, after which movement was equally divided between the western and eastern routes (Fisher Range to Mount Lorette). The light winds produced much soaring flight with a maximum kettle of 7 Golden Eagles over Olympic Summit. Movement was persistent and steady to 1800 with a high hourly count of 26 (2 Bald Eagles, 22 Golden Eagles and 2 unidentified eagles) between 1500 and 1600, but 1800-1900 produced just 1 Golden Eagle and 1900-2000 just 1 Bald Eagle. A resident Northern Goshawk called early in the morning near the parking area, and later 2 probable adult males flew above the western valley with one bird performing a display flight before harassing the second bird, and the resident Golden Eagle pair were seen several times displaying and perching together in the vicinity of Olympic Summit. Other birds seen in the area were a flock of 25 Snow Geese that flew north above the Fisher Range at 1415, 6 Canada Geese, 1 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 1 Hairy Woodpecker1 Northern Flicker, 2 Pileated Woodpeckers, 2 Canada Jays, 1 American Crow, 16 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch,  4 singing Varied Thrushes, 4 American Robins, 55 Bohemian Waxwings in 3 flocks all of which flew south, 1 Common Redpoll, 4 White-winged Crossbills, the first American Tree Sparrow of the season and 7 Dark-eyed Juncos. Ten visitors were at the site today.

12.83 hours (280.6) BAEA 36 (101), GOEA 102 (997), UE 4 (15), GYRF 1 (1), PRFA 1 (1) TOTAL 144 (1128)

Thursday, March 28 Beaver Mines [Day 26] 0900-2000 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0900 was -3C, the high at 1600 was 3C and it was 0C at 2000. Winds were light (<10 km/h) and variable to 1800 when they became light SW-W. Cloud cover was 100% stratus 1745 when it began to quickly break and by 1800 it was 30% cumulus and at 1900 it was cloudless, after which altostratus developed that reached 80% at 2000. The ridge cleared at 0900 that allowed observation to start, but snow persisted to 1150 that left 8 cm of fresh snow on the ground. There was again a disappointing and very sporadic raptor movement involving 28 birds of 3 species that moved to the north between 1304 and 1653 comprising 3 Bald Eagles (2a. 1sa), 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 24 Golden Eagles (21a, 1sa, 2j). With the exception of a juvenile Golden Eagle at 1419 all birds moved in two waves, the first of 9 birds between 1304 and 1352 and the second involving 18 birds between 1522 and 1653 that included the highest hourly count of 13 (all Golden Eagles) between 1600 and 1700. All birds soared high above the ridge before gliding to the north, with some birds disappearing into the base of the stratus cloud. Other birds seen were 33 Canada Geese, 16 Rock Pigeons, 4 Downy Woodpeckers, 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker, 6 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 60 Common Ravens, 5 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire, 9 American Robins, 111 European Starlings, 30 Evening Grosbeaks, 1 singing Cassin’s Finch, 50 Pine Siskins and 9 Dark-eyed Juncos (1 hyemalis, 3 cismontanus and 5 montanus).

11 hours (298.3) BAEA 3 (119), RTHA 1 (7), GOEA 24 (264) TOTAL 28 (429)

Thursday, March 28 Steeples [Day 23] 1400-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 9C to 10C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus and dark cumulus. A total of 7 eagles that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa), 4 Golden Eagles (3a, 1u) and 1 unidentified eagle. With the exception of the subadult Bald Eagle at 1734, all birds migrated between 1416 and 1535. Non-migrant birds were 6 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 2j) that included a pair that flew west together into the valley, and three sightings of adult Golden Eagles including one that made a brief display flight.

4.5 hours (110.3) BAEA 2 (168), GOEA 4 (388), UE 1 (5) TOTAL 7 (567)