Beaver Mines and Steeples, March 29

Sunday, March 29 Beaver Mines [Day 34] 0650-2020 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0650 was 4C, the high at 1500 was 9.5C and it was 4C at 2020. Winds were SW-WSW all day 30-40 gusting 55 km/h to 1800 after which they were 15-20 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 70-100% altostratus and altocumulus that formed a Chinook arch until 1300 which then slowly moved to the NE and was replaced by 40-70% altocumulus, cumulus and cirrus that gave sunny conditions to 1600. The ridges to the SW of the site were obscured by low cloud after 1200, and between 1600 and 1820 rain squalls moved from the SW and partially obscured the ridge. After 1820 it cleared and cloud cover was 60-100% cumulus but low cloud persisted to the SW and to the S of the site. A total of 70 migrant raptors of 5 species were seen between 0712 and 1718 that comprised 15 Bald Eagles (9a, 1sa, 5j), 1 adult male Northern Harrier, 2 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 unidentified light morph Buteo and 49 Golden Eagles (40a, 2sa, 2j, 5u). Movement started early with 5 Golden Eagles counted between 0712 and 0730, but subsequently the migration was generally slow and sporadic with the exceptions of 0900-1000, 1500-1600 and 1600-1700 when 14, 19 and 12 birds were seen respectively. After 1700 the deteriorating weather to the south of the site only allowed movement of only 2 further birds and none were seen after 1718. At Mount Lorette Lori Anderson reported 36 migrants that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 juvenile Northern Goshawk, 1 adult rufous (intermediate) morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 1 unidentified Buteo, 28 Golden Eagles (15a, 3sa, 1j, 9u), 2 unidentified eagles and 1 large unidentified falcon in 12.5 hours of observation. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 22 Canada Geese, a flock of 150 Northern Pintails that flew very high to the NE at 1534, 8 Rock Pigeons, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 1 Killdeer, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 female Red-shafted Flicker, 3 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 4 American Crows, 24 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 7 American Robins, 7 European Starlings, 17 Pine Grosbeaks and 25 Dark-eyed [montanus] Juncos.

13.5 hours (398.2) BAEA 15 (224), NOHA 1 (5), SSHA 2 (16), RTHA 2 (27), UB 1 (1), GOEA 49 (887) TOTAL 70 (1262)

Sunday, March 29 Steeples [Day 25] 1130-1815 (Vance Mattson). The temperature at 1130 was 11C but by 1800 it had dropped to 5C when cloud enveloped the mountains and rain began. Winds were strong S and cloud cover was 60-80% altostratus, cumulus and stratus. A total of 7 Golden Eagles (5a, 1sa, 1u) moved between 1421 and 1744, with four of the eagles seen between 1613 and 1651. Non-migrants were 1 juvenile Bald Eagle, 1 Red-tailed Hawk and 1 adult Golden Eagle. The forecast for the next three days calls for rain and snow so the prospects for migration are not good.

6.75 hours (131.3) GOEA 7 (300) TOTAL 7 (407)