RMERF counts, April 11

Wednesday, April 11 Mount Lorette [Day 38] 0705-2015 (Blake Weis, assisted by Jose Sanchez). The starting temperature was -1C, the high was 8C at 1700 and 1800 and it was 4C at 2015. Ground winds were variable 0-3 gusting 10 km/h to 1100 after which they were SW 0-10 gusting 15-25 for the rest of the day, and ridge winds were light to moderate SW all day. Cloud cover was 90-100% altostratus and altocumulus to noon that gradually diminished throughout the afternoon to 20% altocumulus, altostratus and cirrus by the end of the day. Observing conditions in the afternoon were very good but there was another slightly disappointing raptor migration of 18 birds of 4 species between 1250 and 1932 that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark) and 13 Golden Eagles (8a, 1sa, 4j). Most of the birds moved from the Fisher Range to Lorette, with 5 Golden Eagles located over Lorette probably originating from Wasootch Creek. Only one bird glided high above the Fisher Range. Maximum movement was 5 birds (2 Bald and 3 Golden Eagles) between 1600 and 1700, and 4 Golden Eagles were seen between 1800 and 1900 and again between 1900 and 1932. A resident Red-tailed Hawk was harassed by a resident adult Northern Goshawk over Hummingbird Plume Hill, and resident adult Golden Eagles were seen displaying over Humming Bird Hill and Mount Old Baldy; a non-migrant subadult Golden Eagle also flew south above the Fisher Range. First seasonal bird arrivals were 1 probable Northern Rough-winged Swallow, 2 male Mountain Bluebirds and 1 American Pipit. Other birds recorded in the area were 20 Canada Geese that flew high to the NE over the Fisher Range, single male Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye at Lorette Ponds, 4 Killdeer, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Northern Flickers, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Grey Jays, 13 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 1 singing Townsend’s Solitaire, 4 singing Varied Thrushes, 30 American Robins, 1 European Starling, 250 Bohemian Waxwings, 1 singing Song Sparrow, 8 Dark-eyed Juncos and 3 Common Redpolls. Eight visitors came to the site today.

13.16 hours (435) BAEA 2 (153), NOGO 1 (10), RLHA 2 (12), GOEA 13 (2100) TOTAL 18 (2337)

Wednesday, April 11 Beaver Mines [Day 45] 0700-2015 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was 4C, the high was 8C at 1600 and 1700 and it was 5C at 2015. Winds were favourable W-WSW all day 20-40 km/h, gusting up to 60 km/h in mid-afternoon. Cloud cover was 80-90% altostratus that formed a Chinook Arch for most of the morning that moved to the east around noon. Between 1235 and 1330 and 1430 and 1450 snow showers swept down from the SW that obscured the ridge, but after 1450 cloud cover was 10-40% cumulus that provided sunshine and excellent observing conditions. There was again a fairly strong raptor movement of 62 birds of 7 species between 0752 and 1953 with 24 of the birds seen between 1400 and 1600. The count was 17 Bald Eagles (8a, 5sa, 4j), 2 adult male Northern Harriers, 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 2u), 2 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 1u), 5 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 unidentified Buteo, 29 Golden Eagles (21a, 3sa, 5j) and 1 Prairie Falcon. The total Bald Eagle count of 304 equals last year’s previous spring high count for the site.

13.25 hours (456.5) BAEA 17 (304), NOHA 2 (4), SSHA 5 (21), BWHA 2 (4), RTHA 5 (95), UB 1 (8), GOEA 29 (1345), PRFA 1 (2) TOTAL 62 (1932)

Wednesday, April 11 Steeples [Day 30] 1530-1945 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C, winds were light to moderate S and cloud cover was 50-60% cumulus with cirrus developing late in the day. A total of 23 migrant raptors of 5 species generally moved high above the ridge between 1554 and 1930 and comprised 1 adult Turkey Vulture, 6 Bald Eagles (2a, 4j), 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 1u), 6 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (3 adult light morphs and 2 adult and 1 juvenile dark morphs) and 7 Golden Eagles (1a, 5j, 1u). Thirteen of the birds were counted between 1800 and 1900 and only one was seen after 1900. Non-migrants were again dominated by Turkey Vultures with kettles of up to 9 birds seen. There was no detectable northern movement with gliding and soaring birds dispersing only to be seen later in soaring groups again. It is possible that some of these birds were migrants, but it was impossible to determine this based on their behaviour. Other non-migrants were a subadult Bald Eagle and a resident Red-tailed Hawk that was seen making a hunting stoop near the site.

4.25 (131.5) TUVU 1 (4), BAEA 6 (146), SSHA 3 (3), RTHA 6 (19), GOEA 7 (571) TOTAL 23 (750)