Vicki Ridge and Steeples, October 10

Thursday, October 10 Vicki Ridge [Day 18] 0915-1910 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson assisted by Raymond Toal, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen (1310-1850) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). It was a cool day with a temperature of -5C at 0915, a brief high of 3C at 1600 that fell to -2C at 1810. Winds were WNW-NW all day 10-20 occasionally gusting 30 km/h and it was completely cloudless all day. The count on the western flank of Vicki Ridge produced 100 eagles that comprised 8 Bald Eagles (3a, 2j, 3sa) and 92 Golden Eagles (62a, 7sa, 23j) between 0936 and 1855. Birds moved steadily throughout the day with a highest single-hour count of 21 between 1400 and 1500. On the western edge of Kyllo Ridge Gord counted 31 migrants of 5 species between 1339 and 1843 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (2a, 3sa, 1j, 1u), 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2u), 3a Cooper’s Hawks, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 17 Golden Eagles (10a, 1sa, 2j, 4u). Three subadult Bald Eagles that moved to the west at 1835 were seen at both sites, so the combined species count of 128 birds was 12 Bald Eagles (5a, 3sa, 3j, 1u), 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2u), 3a Cooper’s Hawks, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 109 Golden Eagles (72a, 8sa, 25j, 4u). The highest single-hour combined count was 29 between 1400 and 1500. Other birds seen were 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 55 Common Ravens, 30 American Robins, 10 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos (1 hyemalis and 1 cismontanus).

9.92 hours (165.3) BAEA 12 (85), SSHA 3 (353), COHA 3 (58), RLHA 1 (41), GOEA 109 (933) TOTAL 128 (1680)

Thursday, October 10 Steeples [Day 10] 1245-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was initially 1C and dropped to -1C by 1830, conditions were calm and 30% cumulus cloud cover gave way to cloudless skies after 1700. For the second consecutive day there was a fairly strong raptor movement of 39 migrants of 8 species between 1329 and 1655 that comprised 1 Osprey, 6 Bald Eagles (3a, 3j), 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2u), 1u Northern Goshawk, 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 1 unidentified Buteo, 23 Golden Eagles (9a, 1sa, 10j, 3u) and 1 male American Kestrel. Only 4 birds were seen before 1400 but the next three hours produced 12, 11 and 12 migrants respectively. No resident birds were seen.

5.75 hours (42.75) OSPR 1 (2), BAEA 6 (47), SSHA 3 (22), NOGO 1 (2), RTHA 1 (23), RLHA 2 (3), UB 1 (1), GOEA 23 (67), AMKE 1 (4) TOTAL 39 (178)