RMERF counts, April 14

Sunday, April 14 Mount Lorette [Day 43] 0615-2035 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson). The starting temperature was 1C but fell to 0C at 0800, reached a high of 7C at 1600 and 1700 and was 2C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW-NW 0-3 km/h to 0800, and then SSE-SW 5-10 km/h for the rest of the day with a maximum gust of 36 km/h at 1500; ridge winds were WSW all day, moderate to 1400 and then moderate to strong. Cloud cover was 80-100% cumulus and altostratus to 1500, 30% cumulus at 1600 and then 60-70% cumulus and stratus for the rest of the day. There were very light snow flurries between 1100 and 1400 and a snow squall between 1430 and 1500, but the east was clear and the west was 10-20 % obscured all day. There was a slow but steady raptor movement of 14 birds of 3 species between 0912 and 1927 with 5 hourly periods having 2 migrants and 4 producing single birds. The count was 1u Bald Eagle, 1 unidentified Accipiter, 11 Golden Eagles (2a, 1sa, 5j, 3u) and 1 unidentified eagle. All birds glided high to very high above the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette with the exception of one Golden Eagle that glided directly to Skogan Pass and on to the NW. Three resident adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks soared amicably together at the southern end of Hummingbird Plume Hill at 1645, 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa) moved towards the south and three single resident Golden Eagles (2a, 1j) were seen flying at 1408, 1533 and 1941 but no displays were evident. Other birds recorded in the area were 3 Canada Geese, 2 pairs of  Mallards and a pair of Common Goldeneyes all on the river, 7 Common Mergansers flying to the north above the river, 1 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 4 unidentified white-headed gulls that flew north above the eastern part of the valley, 2 Northern Flickers, 1 American Crow, 25 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 singing Varied Thrush, 6 American Robins, 1 Fox Sparrow that sang in the early morning and was not heard again, and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos, 1 of which was montanus. Eight White-tailed Deer fed in the meadow in the evening and there were 25 visitors to the site today.

14.33 hours (491.8) BAEA 1 (200), UA 1 (1), GOEA 11 (2052), UE 1 (25) TOTAL 14 (2333)

Sunday, April 14 Beaver Mines [Day 43] 0700-2015 (Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0700 was 2C, the high between 1400 and 1600 was 7C and it was 2C at 2015. Winds were strong W-WSW all day gusting 60-70 km/h, and cloud cover was 40-20% mainly cumulus and altocumulus to 1600 and 60-100% cirrus, cumulus and altocumulus for the rest of the day. The ridge was clear with the exception of periods of snow that swept down the valley from the Continental Divide at 0710-0750, 0805-0845, 1450-1500, 1720-1755, 1810-1840 and 1920-1945 when the ridge was completely obscured. There was a fairly strong and persistent raptor movement of 30 birds of 7 species between 0917 and 1756 that comprised 6 Bald Eagles (5 adults and 1 late subadult) 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1a Northern Goshawk, 8 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (7 light. 1 dark), 4 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 2 dark, 1u), 1 unidentified dark morph Buteo, 8 Golden Eagles (4a, 4j) and 1 female columbarius Merlin. The busiest hour was 7 birds between 1100 and 1200. A male Northern Harrier that displayed at 1056 was reduced to a ball of disheveled feathers by a strong gust of wind and was not seen to display again, and single resident Red-tailed Hawks were only seen on 3 occasions. Other birds were 3 Canada Geese, 1 pair of Mallards, 1 male Common Merganser, 5 Rock Pigeons, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker,  8 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 29 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 2 American Robins, 102 European Starlings, 25 Evening Grosbeaks, 40  Pine Siskins and 2 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

13.25 hours (517.8) BAEA 6 (188), SSHA 1 (19), NOGO 1 (24), RTHA 8 (83), RLHA 4 (25), UB 1 (5), GOEA 8 (548), MERL 1 (8) TOTAL 30 (940)

Sunday, April 14 Steeples [Day 37] 1130-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 6-9C, cloud cover was initially 100% stratus that became 50% cumulus by the end of the day and periods of light snow and hail fell between 1500 and 1630. The only migrant seen was the season’s first American Kestrel, a female, and non-migrant birds were 4 Turkey Vultures, 3 adult Bald Eagles, 2 sightings of adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, and 1 adult Golden Eagle that flew to the SW above the site.

6.5 hours (181) AMKE 1 (1) TOTAL 1 (689)