Vicki Ridge and Steeples, October 4

Friday, October 04 Vicki Ridge [Day 13] 0815-1920 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson assisted by Denise Cocciolone-Amatto observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge and Gord Petersen (1310-1905) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 4C, the high at 1400 and 1500 was 10C and it was 5.5C at 1920. Winds were WSW-W all day 20-40 km/h that gusted to 50 km/h only at 1600. It was cloudless to 1200 when cirrus and cumulus cloud began to form and by 1345 it had reached 80% altostratus, cirrostratus and cumulus which then fluctuated between 50 and 90% for the rest of the afternoon. Observing conditions were good to excellent throughout. The count on Vicki Ridge was 127 birds of 6 species between 0910 and 1907 that comprised 6 Bald Eagles (1a, 3sa, 2j),13 Sharp-shinned Hawks (10a, 3u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 3a Red-tailed Hawks (1 light and 1 dark calurus and 1 dark harlani), 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 101 Golden Eagles (55a, 11sa, 35j). Fifty-five Golden Eagles were seen up to 1231, none were seen for the next 2 hours, then 46 more were counted between 1431 and 1907. Between 1313 and 1905 at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge Gord counted 107 birds of 5 species that comprised 8 Bald Eagles (2a, 2sa, 4j), 30 Sharp-shinned Hawks (7a, 1j, 22u), 3 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1j, 1u), 2a Red-tailed Hawks (1 light calurus and 1 dark harlani), and 64 Golden Eagles (44a, 5sa, 11j, 4u). The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0910 and 1907 was 234 migrants of 6 species that comprised 14 Bald Eagles (3a, 5sa, 6j), 43 Sharp-shinned Hawks (17a, 1j, 25u), 4 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1j 1), 5a Red-tailed Hawks (3 calurus: 2 light and 1 dark, and 2 dark morph harlani), 3 light Rough-legged Hawks and 165 Golden Eagles (99a, 16sa, 46j, 4u). The highest combined-site hourly count was 45 between 1700 and 1800. Other bird species seen were 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 2 Black-billed Magpies, 20 Common Ravens, 213 American Robins, 1 juvenile Cedar Waxwing, 1 Savannah Sparrow and 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers. A single Mourning Cloak butterfly was also seen on the wing.

11.08 hours (120.7) BAEA 14 (41), SSHA 43 (306), COHA 4 (48), RTHA 5 (94), RLHA 3 (12), GOEA 165 (438) TOTAL 234 (1031)

Friday, October 04 Steeples [Day 6] 1300-1730 (Vance Mattson, assisted by Virginia Rasch). The temperature was 10C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 100% altostratus and cumulus. Only 2 migrants, 1 juvenile Bald eagle and 1 adult Golden Eagle, moved between 1545 and 1555, and no resident birds were seen.

4.5 hours (22.75) BAEA 1 (15), GOEA 1 (11) TOTAL 2 (54)