Beaver Mines and Steeples, March 20

Friday, March 20 Beaver Mines [Day 25] 0715-2015 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0720 was -15C the high at 1600 was 7C that dropped quickly to 0.5C at 1700 and was -4C at 2015. Winds were light N-NE to 1130 after which they were SW 20 gusting to 35 km/h to 1900 after which they were again light N-ENE. It was cloudless all day but after 1500 there was an unexpected and persistent shimmering heat haze above the ridge that made observation difficult. This probably was caused by the mixing of warm and cold air that was reflected in the sudden drop in temperature at the site after 1600. A total of 34 migrant raptors of a season-high 6 species were counted between 1046 and 1922 that comprised 10 adult Bald Eagles, 1 juvenile female Northern Harrier, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 4 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 16 Golden Eagles (15a, 1sa). Only 5 birds occurred before 1400 after which movement steadily increased and peaked at 10 birds between 1700 and 1800. At Mount Lorette Caroline Lambert reported 46 migrants in 12 hours that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa), 37 Golden Eagles (35a, 2u) and 2 unidentified eagles. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 1 Canada Goose, 4 Rock Pigeons, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 male Red-shafted Flicker, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 21 American Crows that flew high to the SW late in the day, 34 Common Ravens, 6 Black-capped Chickadees, 8 Mountain Chickadees, 194 European Starlings that included flocks of 100 and 60 flying high to the SW, 20 Pine Grosbeaks and 30 Dark-eyed [montanus] Juncos.

13 hours (279.3) BAEA 10 (118), NOHA 1 (2), NOGO 1 (11), RTHA 2 (3), RLHA 4 (42), GOEA 16 (320) TOTAL 34 (498)

Friday, March 20 [Day 16] 1130-1930 (Vance Mattson). It was another beautiful day with the temperature reaching 8C from a low of 1C and it was calm and cloudless. A total of 35 migrants were seen that comprised a season-high 22 Bald Eagles (14a, 2sa, 6j), 12 Golden Eagles (7a, 1sa, 4j) and 1 unidentified eagle. This is the first time this season that Bald Eagles have outnumbered Golden Eagles. Nine migrants moved before 1500 and 12 after 1600 with 1500-1600 producing 14 birds 10 of which were Bald Eagles. Non-migrants were 4 adult Bald Eagles and 2 resident Golden Eagles (1a, 1j). At Wasa Lake, on the way to the site, 6 young Bald Eagles were waiting for the ice to melt. They made several practice attempts at fish seen under the ice and one finally succeeded in catching a small fish after which it was vigorously pursued by the other eagles. In addition to the approximately 50 Canada Geese coming and going, 45 Tundra Swans were also active and included 25 that passed over Vance’s house when he returned home at 1945.

8 hours (68.6) BAEA 22 (70), GOEA 12 (232), UE 1 (2) TOTAL 35 (308)