RMERF counts, October 10

Wednesday, October 10 Mount Lorette [Day 17] 0710-1920 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Joel Duncan). The temperature was initially -7C, the high was 1C from 1400 to 1900 and it was 0C on departure. Ground winds were variable and light to 1400, NE 5-10 gusting 20 km/h to 1600 then N 0-5 gusting 15 km/h for the rest of the day.; ridge winds were light S to 1100, light west to 1400 after which they were moderate. Cloud cover was initially 50% altocumulus and altostratus that reduced to 20% cumulus and cirrocumulus at 1200-1500, and was then 100% stratus for the rest of the day. There were light snow flurries after 1600. The only migrant raptors were 8 Golden Eagles (4a, 1sa, 1j, 2u) that moved between 1250 and 1430, 6 of which occurred between 1400 and 1430. All birds moved on the eastern route with much soaring and flapping flight. A single adult resident Golden Eagle flew to the east from Hummingbird Plume Hill to beyond the Fisher Range ridge. The Sora was still present and other birds included 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 Brown Creeper, 2 American Dippers, 10 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 3 American Pipits, 20 White-winged Crossbills, 6 Pine Siskins, 4 Lapland Longspurs, 8 cismontanus Dark-eyed Juncos, 2 White-throated Sparrows 1 male Rusty Blackbird and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler. There were 16 visitors to the site including 1 school party.

10.25 (170.5) GOEA 8 (1008) TOTAL 8 (1184)

Wednesday, October 10 Vicki Ridge [Day 14] 1045-1715 (Peter Sherrington, observation from Waterton 61 wellsite). The snow finally stopped around 1000 and there was 6cm of fresh snow at the site. The temperature was -4C at 1100, rose to a high of -2 C at 1500 and was -3C at the end of observation. Winds were light SE-E all day and cloud cover was 100% stratus that was only occasionally and briefly broken giving gloomy conditions all day. East of the ridge after 1715, however, the skies were clear and it was sunny! There was only a light, sporadic migration of 18 raptors of 5 species between 1110 and 1626 that comprised 8 Sharp-shinned Hawks (4a, 4u), 1a Northern Goshawk, 7 Red-tailed Hawks (4a calurus: 3 light, 1 dark; 3 dark harlani: 2a, 1j), 1u columbarius Merlin and 1 Prairie Falcon. Ten birds moved before 1300 with 6 between 1100 and 1200, but 6 Sharp-shinned Hawks were the only migrants moving after 1330. Other birds included 1 Dusky Grouse, 1 Northern Pygmy-Owl that called briefly, 1 adult Northern Shrike, 5 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 8 American Robins and 8 Red Crossbills

6.5 hours (122.3) SSHA 8 (472), NOGO 1 (28), RTHA 7 (129), MERL 1 (17), PRFA 1 (3) TOTAL 18 (1526)

Wednesday, October 10 Steeples [Day 18] 1530-1800 (Vance Mattson). It was a beautiful day with a temperature of 11C and sunny calm conditions with a cloud cover of 30% altostratus and cumulus that increased to 60% altocumulus. Only 2 migrants were seen, however: 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk and 1j Northern Goshawk that flew south together at 1722. The only other raptors were the resident Golden Eagles that interacted above the ridge including a playful stoop that produced a barrel-roll from the other bird followed by a brief display flight by one of the birds. The two then soared together over the flank of Bill Nye Mountain.

2.5 hours (77.5) SSHA 1 (63), NOGO 1 (4) TOTAL 2 (330)