Beaver Mines and Steeples, April 10

Friday, April 10 Beaver Mines [Day 46] 0645-1945 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was 5C, the high at 1400 was 9C and it was 8C at 1500, but with the passage of a cold front at 1510 the temperature quickly fell to 4C and was 0C after 1800. Winds were mainly E-NE 10-20 occasionally gusting to 30 km/h to 1510 after which they were NNE 10-20 gusting 30 km/h. Cloud cover was mainly 100% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus that reduced to 50-70% cumulus cirrostratus and altostratus between 1200 and 1400. After 1510, however, cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus that produced light rain and sleet to 1715 when heavy snow fell that completely obscured the ridge to 1840. The ridge cleared again at 1840 but the snow intensified and obscured the ridge at 1945 when the count was abandoned for the day. Only 4 migrant birds were seen: an adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk at 0720 and an adult Cooper’s Hawk at 0751 and then a subadult Golden Eagle and a second adult Red-tailed Hawk at 1120 and 1125 respectively. Resident birds were a displaying adult male Northern Harrier and 4 pairs of Red-tailed Hawks 5 birds of which soared high together over the NE flank of the ridge before dispersing in various directions with the exception of northwards! At Mount Lorette Lori Anderson reported 11 migrants in a weather-shortened 10.5 hours of observation which comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 unidentified large Accipiter, 2 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 1 unidentified dark morph Buteo and 4 adult Golden Eagles. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 19 Canada Geese, 27 Mallards, 16 Green-winged Teal, 1 male Barrow’s Goldeneye on the creek at 1934 for a first yearly record, 10 Wild Turkeys, 1 Rock Pigeon, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, a pair of Sandhill Cranes, 1 Wilson’s Snipe feeding in a meltwater stream at 1755 (also a first seasonal record), 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 5 Red-shafted Flickers, 6 Blue Jays, 22 American Crows, 6 Common Ravens, 6 Black-capped Chickadees, 6 Mountain Chickadees, a pair of Mountain Bluebirds, 79 American Robins, 100 European Starlings, 6 Evening Grosbeaks, 17 Pine Grosbeaks, 1 male Purple Finch, 44 Dark-eyed Juncos (1 hyemalis, 3 cismontanus, 40 montanus) and 2 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

13 hours (560.5) COHA 1 (7), RTHA 2 (157), GOEA 1 (1039) TOTAL 4 (1709)

Friday, April 10 Steeples [Day 35] 1230-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature reached 18C, it was calm to light SW winds and cloud cover averaged 50% providing an excellent observation backdrop. Unfortunately raptors failed to take advantage of the conditions and no migrants were seen. Non-migrants were 7 sightings of Turkey Vultures, 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), a single Red-tailed Hawks seen three times and 1 adult resident Golden Eagle.

5.5 hours (187.3) TOTAL 0 (459)