Vicki Ridge and Steeples, October 26

Saturday, October 26 Vicki Ridge [Day 34] 0830-1700 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0830 was -4C, the high was 1C at 1100 and 1200, and it was again -4C when steady snow stopped the count at 1700. Winds were mainly light or light-moderate 0-10 gusting 15 km/h and varied from S to NNE, and cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1030 and again after 1400 and between it was 60-70% cumulus and stratocumulus. There were occasional brief snow flurries in the morning but after 1325 they became frequent and were persistent after 1500 and often obscured the ridges. Steady snow started at 1645 and persisted for the rest of the day and we left the site at 1700. There was a fairly strong raptor movement of 43 birds between 0928 and 1350, but a Merlin at 1500 and a Golden Eagle at 1616 were the only raptors seen subsequently. The count of 45 birds of 6 species between 0928 and 1616 comprised 10 Bald Eagles (2a, 4sa, 4j), 2a Northern Goshawks, 3a Red-tailed Hawks (2 light calurus and 1 dark harlani), 13 Rough-legged Hawks (12 light, 1 dark), 16 Golden Eagles (15a, 1j) and 1u male columbarius Merlin. Thirty-eight of the birds moved between 1104 and 1350 and the highest single-hour count was 14 between 1200 and 1300. Other birds recorded were 4 Trumpeter Swans that flew south at 1318, 60 Tundra Swans that flew south at 1435, flocks of 5 and 27 Canada Geese that flew W at 1602 and south at 1606 respectively, 1 Northern Pygmy-Owl that sang briefly at 1105, a flock of 30 unidentified ducks that flew very high to the west at 1248, 1 Canada Jay, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 22 Common Ravens, 250 Bohemian Waxwings, 265 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 1 female Pine Grosbeak and 3 Common Redpolls that were the first for the season. Despite the weather it wasn’t a bad day.

8.5 hours (324.7) BAEA 10 (218), NOGO 2 (62), RTHA 3 (137), RLHA 13 (380), GOEA 16 (2496), MERL 1 (18) TOTAL 45 (4004)

Saturday, October 26 Steeples [Day 25] 1245-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 5C, it was calm and cloud cover was 80% cumulus to 1445 when E-NE winds brought snow flurries to 1545 and snow between 1545 and 1645 that obscured the ridges. After 1700 the ridges were clear with 60% cumulus cloud cover that gave mostly sunny conditions. A total of 12 migrants of 3 species were seen: 1a Bald Eagle, 1u Northern Goshawk and 10 Golden Eagles (8a, 1j, 1u). Nine birds moved before 1545 and only 3 after 1700. No resident eagles were seen today.

5.25 hours (110.3) BAEA 1 (149), NOGO 1 (4), GOEA 10 (186) TOTAL 12 (435)