RMERF counts, April 18

Wednesday, April 18 Mount Lorette [Day 44] 0655-2035 (Blake Weis, assisted by Jose Sanchez). The starting temperature was -1C, the high was 6C (1500-1900) and it was 4C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW-SE all day mainly 0-10 gusting 15 km/h but gusting up to 32 km/h in the afternoon, and ridge winds were SW light to 0900 then moderate for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was initially 10% altocumulus and cirrus that gradually increased to 60% by 1300 when cumulus also developed to 1500, and it was then 10-50% altocumulus, cirrus and cumulus for the rest of the day. Ridges were completely clear and viewing conditions were excellent all day. There was a strong raptor movement with a total of 73 birds of 6 species migrating between 0920 and 1959 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa and 1 undifferentiated immature bird), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 1 small undifferentiated Accipiter, 3 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 58 Golden Eagles (2a, 7sa, 32j, 17u) and 1 small unidentified raptor. Much of the Golden Eagle movement was very high above the centre of the valley or above the Fisher Range and about half of the birds were initially located as they arrived at Mount Lorette. Movement was initially slow and by 1300 only 4 birds had been counted, but the rate quickened throughout the afternoon and peaked late with 2 Bald and 21 Golden Eagles seen between 1900 and 1959. Non-migrant birds were an Osprey that hunted above the river, 2 hunting Red-tailed Hawks, the resident pair of Golden Eagles and a Prairie Falcon that was seen hunting above Hummingbird Plume Hill. Other birds were 25 Snow Geese that flew high to the NE above the Fisher Range at 1300. 6 Canada Geese, 1 male Common Goldeneye, 1 Ruffed Grouse, 3 Killdeer, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 male intergrade Northern Flicker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Northern Shrike, 2 Grey Jays, 15 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Varied Thrush, 75 American Robins, 3 European Starlings, 2 American Pipits, 195 Bohemian Waxwings, 4 Dark-eyed Juncos and 1 Common Redpoll. A female Moose with a second-year calf crossed the river south of the site. There were 3 visitors to the site today.

13.67 hours (500.8) BAEA 7 (173), SSHA 1 (17), COHA 1 (1), UA 1 (2), RTHA 3 (24), RLHA 1 (15), GOEA 58 (2278), UU 1 (4) TOTAL 73 (2571)

Wednesday, April 18 Beaver Mines [Day 51] 0700-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Phil Hazelton). The temperature at 0700 was 0C, the high was 10C at 1500 and it was 6C at 1930. Winds were moderate W-WSW all day 20-30 gusting 40 km/h, and cloud cover was initially 0% to 0820 when thin cirrus began to develop and cover was 10-60% cumulus and cirrostratus to 1730 after which it was 100% for the rest of the day. A sunny day with excellent viewing and migration conditions produced an interesting migration of 72 raptors of 12 species between 0812 and 1850 that comprised 8 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 4j), 2 adult male Northern Harriers, 5 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 adult Cooper’s Hawk, 2 Northern Goshawks (1a, 1j), 1 juvenile dark-morph Broad-winged Hawk, 17 Red-tailed Hawks (15 calurus: 12 light (11a, 1u), 2 adult dark, and 2 adult dark harlani), 3 unidentified Buteos (1 dark, 2u), 28 Golden Eagles (8a, 1sa, 15j, 4u), 2 adult American Kestrels (1 male, 1 female), 1 adult female Merlin of the coastal race F.c.suckleyi (“Black Merlin”) that flew close to me at 1301, 1 adult female grey morph Gyrfalcon and 1 adult male Peregrine Falcon. Movement was steady all day with a high hourly count of 18 between 1400 and 1500. Two resident pairs of Red-tailed Hawks were conspicuous throughout the afternoon with many prolonged display flights were seen. A total of 540 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches flew high to the NNW in 8 flocks throughout the day, and other signs of spring were the presence of 4 Tree Swallows and the season’s first Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterfly.

12.5 (531) BAEA 8 (347), NOHA 2 (10), SSHA 5 (40), COHA 1 (5), NOGO 2 (24), BWHA 1 (11), RTHA 17 (143), UB 3 (15), GOEA 28 (1499), AMKE 2 (7), MERL 1 (14), GYRF 1 (9), PEFA 1 (9) TOTAL 72 (2254)

Wednesday, April 18 Steeples [Day 36] 1530-1930 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 11C, winds were light to moderate SE and cloud cover was 50% cumulus. The pleasant sunny conditions produced 18 migrants of 5 species between 1615 and 1846 that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (1a, 3j), 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 10 Golden Eagles (2a, 8j) and the season’s first Peregrine Falcon, an adult bird. Ten of the birds moved between 1700 and 1800, and 6 between 1000 and 1846. Non-migrants were 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 2j), 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures were in the air throughout the observation period and included kettles of 4 birds on 2 occasions.

4 hours (154.5) BAEA 4 (163), SSHA 1 (6), RLHA 2 (6), GOEA 10 (594), PEFA 1 (1) TOTAL 18 (811)