RMERF counts, November 6

Monday, November 6 [Day 42] (Blake Weis, assisted by Dan Parliament) 0820-1710. The starting temperature was a chilling -23C but it rose to a high of -7C from 1500 to the end of observation. It was calm to 1000 then ground winds were mainly S 0-5 gusting 8 km/h to 1400 and then NW 0-6 gusting 10 km/h, while ridge winds were moderate S all day. It was cloudless all day, although the west was up to 20% obscured up to 1000 by snow-making on the ski-hill. There was a disappointing migration of nine eagles between 1052 and 1638 comprising 3 adult Bald Eagles and 6 Golden Eagles (5a, 1j) all of which moved along the Fisher Range, probably from Mount Lorette. Two birds were seen before 1200, none were recorded between 1200 and 1500 and 7 moved after 1500. There were, however, a good variety of other bird species that included 1 Killdeer, 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 1 Bohemian Waxwing, 1 Dark-eyed Junco, 4 Pine Grosbeaks, 1 White-winged Crossbill, 19 Common Redpolls and 7 Pine Siskins. A Striped Skunk was seen a couple of times north of the site, and the blue skies enticed 25 visitors to the site today.

8.83 hours (452.6) BAEA 3 (160), GOEA 6 (3202) TOTAL 9 (3605)

Vicki Ridge [Day 43] (Peter Sherrington) 1030-1700 (Observation from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge). The temperature at 1030 was -11C, the high was -5C at 1400 and 1500 and it was -7C at 1700. Winds were W, 0-8 km/h to 1315 after which they were W-WNW 10-15 gusting 30 km/h, and it was completely cloudless all day. After five straight days of poor weather and no raptor migration the day produced a gratifying total of 71 birds of 3 species that moved between 1038 and 1616. The count was 8 Bald Eagles (5a, 2sa, 1j), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 61 Golden Eagles (47a, 3sa, 5j, 6u). The maximum hourly count was 23 between 1300 and 1400 and both 1200-1300 and 1400-1500 produced 17 migrants. Other birds were scarce and included a flock of 30 Canada Geese flying high to the west at 1135, 1 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch that fed at the site late in the day, and a flock of 12 low-flying Common Redpolls.

7.5 hours (344.8) BAEA 8 (205), RLHA 2 (489), GOEA 61 (1867) TOTAL 71 (3912)

Steeples [Day 36] (Vance Mattson) 1330-1530. The entire valley cleared today, but due to a teaching commitment Vance could only observe for 2 hours. Because of snow and ice it was impossible to access the South Lakit Site, so observation was from Lone Peak, which is located approximately 1km to the south. The temperature was -5C and it was calm and sunny with 30% low cumulus cloud situated in front of the entire mountain range but mostly below the level of the peaks. Initially there was no migration, but between 1423 and 1450 there was a rapid movement of 18 eagles consisting of 11 Golden Eagles, 6 Bald Eagles, and 1 unidentified eagle. Only two eagles, both Goldens, migrated between 1500 and 1530 the last being a subadult at 1521. The vantage point proved to be excellent, with eagles gliding low across Lone Peak and soaring before continuing their southward journey. Immature birds of both eagle species were well represented and the final tally was 13 Golden Eagles (8a, 1sa, 4j), 6 Bald Eagles (1a, 5j) and 1 unidentified eagle.

2 hours (167.8) BAEA 6 (274), GOEA 13 (141), UE 1 (3) TOTAL 20 (617)

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (September 20 to November 15)

DAYS 42

HOURS 452.6

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 2

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 160

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 6

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 81

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 18

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 28

Accipiter sp. (UA) 3

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 1

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 29

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 1

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 27

Buteo sp. (UB) 10

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 3202

Eagle sp. (UE) 7

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 3

MERLIN (MERL) 5

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 4

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 7

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 6

Falco sp. (UF) 3

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 2

TOTAL 3605