RMERF counts, October 19

Friday, October 19 Mount Lorette [Day 26] 0815-1905 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rosemary and Gord Petersen). The temperature at 0815 was -3C, the high at 1600 was 13C and it was 4C at the end of observation. Ground winds were light and variable all day with the exception of around 1700 when there were SW gusts to 15 km/h, while ridge winds were SW-WSW light to moderate all day. Cloud cover was variable 20-70% cirrus that completely cleared at the end of the day which gave good observing conditions throughout. There was a fairly strong raptor movement of 124 birds of 5 species between 0909 and 1836 that comprised a season-high 16 Bald Eagles (6a, 10 sa), 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 Northern Goshawks (1j, 1u), 100 Golden Eagles (68a, 8sa, 12j, 12u), 3 unidentified eagles and 1 large unidentified falcon. Most birds moved on the eastern route and only 4 (1 Bald and 3 Golden Eagles) were seen over the western route. There was much soaring flight and most birds originated from Mount Lorette although several appeared to come from farther north. Eighteen Golden Eagles moved before 1400, and 82 after 1400 with 33 seen between 1600 and 1700 and 6 after 1800. A single adult Bald Eagle was considered to be resident. Other birds included 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 American Dipper, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 10 White-winged Crossbills, 2 Pine Siskins and 5 Dark-eyed Juncos. Butterflies seen were 1 Milbert’s Tortoiseshell and 1 small Polygonia sp. There were 8 visitors to the site that included 2 post-graduate statistics students from the University of Victoria in British Columbia that are working on the analysis of the first 25 years of RMERF data.

10.83 hours (272.2) BAEA 16 (87), SSHA 2 (57), NOGO 2 (24), GOEA 100 (2007), UE 3 (19), UF 1 (2) TOTAL 124 (2284)

Friday, October 19 Vicki Ridge [Day 23] 0830-1835 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). The temperature at 0900 was 1C but quickly rose to 9C at 1000, reached a high of 16C at 1500 and was still 14C at 1800. Winds were W 0-10 km/h to 1100 and then W-WSW 10-15 gusting to 20 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 10-20% cirrostratus and altocumulus to 1000 and subsequently varied between 30% and 80% altostratus, altocumulus and cirrus for the rest of the day as bands of high altitude clouds moved slowly to the south. Viewing conditions were excellent over Vicki Ridge all day, but several birds moving to the south over Kyllo Ridge to the west were silhouetted against the sun. The lighter winds provided a moderate and sporadic raptor movement between 1054 and 1736 that involved much soaring flight and comprised 11 Bald Eagles (6a 2sa, 1j, 3u). 13 Sharp-shinned Hawks (5a, 8u), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 13 Rough-legged Hawks (9 light, 2 dark, 1u) and 36 Golden Eagles (26a, 4sa, 3j, 3u). Most of the birds moved above Vicki Ridge and the maximum hourly counts were 20 between 1300 and 1400 (16 Golden Eagles) and again between 1600 and 1700 (7 Golden Eagles). The cumulative Golden Eagle total of 2015 is a new high count for the site, the previous high of 2001 having been established on November 15 last year. Other birds were scarce but included 7 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 10 Bohemian Waxwings, 12 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 5 Red Crossbills and 5 Pine Siskins.

9 hours (204.7) BAEA 11 (131), SSHA 13 (588), NOGO 1 (45), RLHA 13 (222), GOEA 36 (2015), TOTAL 74 (3373)

Friday, October 19 Steeples [Day 27] 1215-1815 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 12C, it was calm, and 30% cirrus cloud cover gave way to cloudless skies after 1400. Nine migrant Golden Eagles (4a, 2sa, 3j) were seen that moved in two small bursts: 5 birds between 1510 and 1533 and 4 birds between 1710 and 1742. Flight was slow and leisurely and involved soaring with some flapping flight.

6 hours (121) GOEA 9 (140) TOTAL 9 (413)