Tuesday, September 24 Vicki Ridge [Day 5], Steeples [Day 1]

Tuesday, September 24 Vicki Ridge [Day 5] 0815-1915 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge assisted by Raymond Toal). The starting temperature was 8.5C, the high at 1500 was 14.5C and it was 9.6C at 1915. Winds were again strong W-WSW all day 40-50 gusting 70-80 km/h and cloud cover was a continuously changing mix of cumulus, stratocumulus cirrus and cirrostratus that was generally 60-90% but briefly diminished to 30% at 1600. Light rain showers occurred throughout the day, but observing conditions were mainly very good. There was again a fairly strong but sporadic raptor movement involving 66 birds of 11 species that moved between 0858 and 1843 with a maximum hourly count of only 13 between 1400 and 1500. The count comprised 2 Ospreys, 1 adult Bald Eagle, 3 Northern Harriers (2 juvenile males and 1u), 15 Sharp-shinned Hawks (6a, 1j, 8u), 6 Cooper’s Hawks (4a, 2u), 1u Northern Goshawk, 1 small unidentified Accipiter, 11 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (7a light morphs and 4 dark morphs: 3a, 1j), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 21 Golden Eagles (9a, 3sa, 8j, 1u), 2 male American Kestrels and 1 female columbarius Merlin. Other bird species seen were 1 Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker, 4 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 18 Common Ravens, 37 Mountain Bluebirds, 32 American Robins, 46 Cedar Waxwings, 50 Pine Siskins, 1 Dark-eyed [Oregon] Junco and 5 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

11 hours (53.58) OSPR 2 (3), BAEA 1 (8), NOHA 3 (8), SSHA 15 (131), COHA 6 (23), NOGO 1 (6), UA 1 (2), RTHA 11 (42), RLHA 2 (3), GOEA 21 (93), AMKE 2 (11), MERL 1 (4) TOTAL 66 (352)

Tuesday, September 24 Steeples [Day 1] 1315-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 17C, conditions were mainly calm and initial overcast skies cleared to 60-40% cumulus and altocumulus after 1330 which gave mostly sunny conditions for the rest of the day. The first day of the count was productive with 41 birds of 7 species moving between 1315 and 1830 that comprised 1 Osprey, 7 Bald Eagles (4a, 3j), 1 juvenile female Northern Harrier, 13 Sharp-shinned Hawks (5a, 2j, 6u), 9 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (5a, 2j, 2u), 9 Golden Eagles (6a, 3j) and 1 female American Kestrel. Movement was general high with most birds appearing above the “gap” and soaring briefly before gliding south above the main ranges. Resident birds were a pair of Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 juvenile calurus Red-tailed Hawk, and an adult Golden Eagle that glided northwest into the valley.

5.25 hours OSPR 1, BAEA 7, NOHA 1, SSHA 13, RTHA 9, GOEA 9, AMKE 1 TOTAL 41