RMERF counts March 2-4

Friday, March 2 Mount Lorette [Day 2] 0800-1215 (Jim Davis, assisted by Blake Weis). The temperature at 0800 was -13C, reached a high of -8C at 1000 and was -10C when the count was abandoned at 1215. Ground winds were E 30-40 km/h, cloud cover was 100% low stratus, snow fell all day and all peaks and ridges were obscured. A light morph Rough-legged Hawk flying low to the north above HW 40 near the site at 0805 was the only raptor seen.

4.25 hours (11.75) RLHA 1 (1) TOTAL 1 (1)

Friday, March 2 Beaver Mines [Day 6] 0800-1800 (Peter Sherrington). Steady light snow fell all day that obscured the ridge with the exception of 1145-1315 when the snow became very light and the ridge cleared. During this period the temperature was -8C and the wind SSE-E 10-15 km/h. At 1248 a non-migrant adult Bald Eagle soared above the Big Hill and glided to the ESE, and no other raptors were seen.

1.5 hours (45.5) TOTAL 0 (32)

Friday, March 2 Steeples (Vance Mattson) NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Intermittent snow fell to 1430 after which it became steady. Both the mountains and the valley were obscured all day.

Saturday, March 3 Mount Lorette NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Steady snow all day, all mountains obscured.

Saturday, March 3 Beaver Mines [Day 7] 0800-1700 (Peter Sherrington to 1200, Denise Cocciolone-Amatto and Raymond Toal after 1200). The temperature at 0800 was -10C, the high at 1100, 1300 and 1400 was -7C and it was -10C at 1700. Winds were SSW 0-5 km/h to 0900 and E-SE for the rest of the day 11-22 km/h and cloud cover was 100-80% stratus all day and light to very light snow fell for most of the day. The ridge occasionally cleared but no migrants were seen and 2 resident Golden Eagles (1j, 1u) were the only raptors seen.

9 hours (54.5) TOTAL 0 (32)

Saturday, March 3 Steeples [Day 1] 1300-1800 (Vance Mattson). The recent snow made access to the usual Bill Nye site difficult so Vance observed from about 1 km north of the site. It was a mainly sunny day, a temperature of 3C with moderate to strong S-SW winds and an initial cloud cover of 80% altostratus and cumulus that decreased to 50% by 1500. The higher peaks were partially obscured for most of the day although the main migration route remained clear. The season’s first migrant was a Bald Eagle that glided low in front of the site at 1325, but the next birds, 1 Bald Eagle and 3 Golden Eagles, were not seen until 1605-1612 and the last birds, 2 Bald Eagles and 4 Golden Eagles, occurred between 1710 and 1731. The final count of 11 birds was 4 adult Bald Eagles and 7 adult Golden Eagles. A non-migrant juvenile Golden Eagle hunted the ridge in high winds between 1525 and 1535 before perching. A Pileated Woodpecker flew over the site at 1552.

5 hours (5) BAEA 4 (4), GOEA 7 (7) TOTAL 11 (11)

Sunday, March 4 Mount Lorette [Day 3] 0655-1805 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Cliff Hansen). The starting temperature was -16C, the high was -9C at 1500 and 1600 and it was -10C at 1800. Ground w1nds were WNW 0-3 km/h to 1100, then mostly NE-E to the end of the day. While ridge winds appeared to be moderate SW all day that combed snow off the ridges. Cloud cover was 90-100% altostratus to 1200, the variable 20-70% cirrus, cumulus and stratus for the rest of the day that generally gave sunny periods or hazy sunshine. Very light snow fell to 1000 and again after 1700. The east ridges were essentially clear all day, while the west was 20-30% obscured to 1200 and 10-30% obscured in the afternoon. A total of 5 migrants, 2 adult Bald Eagles and 3 adult Golden Eagles, were seen between 1035 and 1700, with 2 of the Golden Eagles moving between 1500 and 1600. All birds migrated on the eastern route, the Golden Eagles moving to Mount Lorette and then to the NW, while the Bald Eagles moved to the north from the northern end of the Fisher Range. Other birds seen were 1 high-flying woodpecker sp., 2 Grey Jays, 3 Common Ravens, 2 American Dippers and 1 Pine Grosbeak. Fourteen visitors came to the site throughout the day.

11.16 hours (22.91) BAEA 2 (2), GOEA 3 (3) TOTAL 5 (6)

Sunday, March 4 Beaver Mines [Day 7] 0800-1815 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature was   -15C at 0800, reached a high of -8C at 1200 and 1300 and was -10C at the end of observation. Winds were light variable NW-SW to 1200 and ESE 11-13 km/h throughout the afternoon, although a moderate WSW upper flow developed after 1300 it never lowered to ridge level. Cloud cover was 100-70% generally thin stratocumulus and cirrostratus with minor cumulus that gave hazy sunshine all day. Very light snow fell to 0900 but the ridge was clear all day. Despite the excellent observing conditions, the light winds were not conducive to raptor movement and the only migrants recorded were adult Bald Eagles at 1455 and 1655, and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk at 1659. Two resident Golden Eagles (1a and 1j) were also present. At 1837, 3 Canada Geese flew high to the NW which were the first migrants of the species for the season.

10.25 hours (64.8) BAEA 2 (18), RLHA 1 (4) TOTAL 3 (35)

Sunday, March 4 Steeples [Day 2] 1200-1700 (Vance Mattson). Observation was again from about 1 km north of the Bill Nye site. It was a mostly sunny day with the temperature rising to 1C from a low of -1C and it was calm throughout. Cloud cover was 40% altocumulus tom 60% cumulus and altostratus and the ridges were clear. A total of 3 adult Golden Eagles moved between 1220 and 1355, and resident adult and 1 juvenile Golden Eagles hunted the ridges and valleys throughout much of the observation period.

5 hours (1), GOEA 3 (10) TOTAL 3 (14)