Vicki Ridge and Steeples, October 14

Monday, October 14 Vicki Ridge [Day 22] 0830-1845 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson assisted by Gord Petersen and Sivone Sonepaseuth observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0830 was 1C the high at 1100 was 6C but an un-forecasted cold front that passed at 1130 quickly reduced the temperature to 3C that slowly recovered to 5C at 1500 after which it slowly reduced to 2C at 1945. Winds to 1130 were WNW-W 10-15 gusting 20 km/h but after the passage of the front they became mainly light E 5-10 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 30% cumulus to 1000 when dark cumulus began to appear to the north and after 1130 it was 70-100% cumulus until the end of the day that occasionally produced drizzle or very light flurries. The weather produced a count that was significantly different from yesterday’s with a total of 86 raptors of 7 species moving between 0940 and 1835 that comprised 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 2sa), 1a Cooper’s Hawk that was the only Accipiterseen, 1u dark morph Broad-winged Hawk that moved just ahead of the approaching front, 8a Red-tailed Hawks (3 calurus (2 light, 1 dark) and 5 dark morph harlani), a season high 54 Rough-legged Hawks (52 light, 2 dark), only 16 Golden Eagles (12a, 2sa, 1j, 1u) and 1a female Peregrine Falcon. After 1130 the light winds produced mainly slow high-soaring flight with kettles of up to 6 raptors forming above the valley. Despite the conditions movement was fairly steady all day and peaked at 21 birds, of which 20 were Rough-legged Hawks, between 1700 and 1800. Other birds seen were flocks of 20 and 36 Canada Geese that flew high to the west at 1206 and 1810 respectively, 1 female Pileated Woodpecker, 1a Northern Shrike, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 19 American Crows that flew west at 1741, 49 Common Ravens, 1 American Robin and 65 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10.25 hours (206.3) BAEA 5 (104), COHA 1 (63), BWHA 1 (9), RTHA 8 (116), RLHA 54 (105), GOEA 16 (1349), PEFA 1 (4) TOTAL 86 (2233)

Monday, October 14 Steeples [Day 14] 1300-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 9C, it was calm and 30-60% cumulus cloud cover gave mainly sunny conditions. A total of 33 migrants of 4 species moved between 1313 and 1631 that comprised 16 Bald Eagles (10a, 1sa, 5j), 2 Northern Harriers (1 adult female and 1u juvenile), 1a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 13 Golden Eagles (9a, 1sa, 2j) and 1 unidentified eagle. The hourly counts were 5 (1313-1400), 9 (1400-1500), 15 (1500-1600) and 4 (1600-1631) after which movement ceased. Most migrants appeared from behind the main ridge, soared high in front of Mount Bill Nye before gliding high to the south. Non-migrants were 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1j) and 1a Golden Eagle.

5 hours (64) BAEA 16 (88), NOHA 2 (6), SSHA 1 (35), GOEA 13 (105), UE 1 (4) TOTAL 33 (281)