Vicki Ridge and Steeples, November 06

Wednesday, November 06 Vicki Ridge [Day 45] 0800-1730 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson,  observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen  (1336-1700) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). Despite the snowfall warning that was in effect for the area yesterday and early this morning there was only 6 cm of fresh snow on the ground as most of the precipitation fell as freezing rain before it turned to snow yesterday evening.  The temperature at 0800 was -19C, the high between 1430 and 1600 was 1C and it was -1C after 1700. It was calm or SSW-variable up to 5 km/h to 1340 when the wind became W-WNW 15-20 gusting 30 km/h, and increased after 1500 to WNW 20-30 gusting 40 km/g that created blowing snow on both ridges. It was completely cloudless all day and despite the frigid start it was a beautiful day. The count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 21 birds of 3 species between 1052 and 1658 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa2, 5j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 13 Golden Eagles (10a, 2sa, 1j). At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge Gord counted 11 birds of 3 species between 1344 and 1638 that comprised 5 Bald Eagles (1a, 4j), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 4 Golden Eagles (3a, 1u). The total movement observed across the ridge system between 1052 and 1658 was 32 migrants of 3 species that comprised 12 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa2, 9j), 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 17 Golden Eagles (13a, 2sa, 1j, 1u). The highest combined-site hourly count was 12 between 1500 and 1600. Other birds seen were a flock of 60 Canada Geese that flew to the south at 1057, a confused flock of 22 that flew west at 1116, flew back east at 1120 and finally headed south at 1126, a flock of 52 that flew west at 1135 and a flock of 80 that flew SW at 1625. A gut-pile of an eviscerated deer that was shot yesterday at the southern end of Vicki Ridge attracted around 100 Common Ravens and a dozen Black-billed Magpies as well as 2 migrating juvenile Bald Eagles that interrupted their southward flight to take  a protracted lunch-break. Other birds were 3 Canada Jays, 1 Steller’s Jay, 3 Bohemian Waxwings, 2u Pine Grosbeaks and a migrating flock of 28 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

9.5 hours (407.5) BAEA 12 (306), RLHA 3 (420), GOEA 17 (2688) TOTAL 32 (4354)

Wednesday, November 06 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation because of teaching commitments.