Beaver Mines and Steeples, October 12

Monday, October 12 Vicki Ridge [Day 23] 0800-0845 and 1045-1900 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, 1500-1720 Denise Cocciolone Amatto assisted by Raymond Toal). There was no observer at the Waterton 68 site). The temperature at 0800 was 5C, the high at 1200 was 10C that dropped to 6C at 1300 following extensive hail fall, recovered to 8C at 1400 and was 5C at 1900. Winds were mainly WSW-W and occasionally WNW 15-25 km/h to 1300 and then 25 gusting 45-55 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was initially 100% stratocumulus that produced steady rain and then showers to 1045 (observers abandoned the site for 2 hours to 1045!) and was subsequently 70-90 % cumulus and stratocumulus for the rest of the day that produced regular rain, sleet and hail showers to 1500 after which there were occasional light rain showers and snow flurries. There were also brief sunny periods. The Livingstone Ridge to the north was cloud-covered until mid-afternoon when it partially cleared. The conditions allowed a movement of 31 raptors of 6 species between 1059 and 1828 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1u), 1a male Northern Harrier, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2u), 4 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2a, 1u light morphs and 1u intermediate morph), 5 Rough-legged Hawks (4 light, 1u) and 15 Golden Eagles (13a, 2j). The highest single hour count was 9 between 1500 and 1600. Other birds seen were 1 Northern Flicker, 2 Black-billed Magpies, 24 Common Ravens and 3 American Robins.

9 hours (249.1) BAEA 3 (56), NOHA 1 (22), SSHA 3 (802), RTHA 4 (199), RLHA 5 (67), GOEA 15 (1253) TOTAL 31 (2644)

Monday, October 12 Mount Lorette [Day 23] 0800-1900 (Graeme Dunlop assisted by Rick Robb). Poor weather conditions produced only 3 migrants: 1a Bald Eagle, 1a Sharp-shinned Hawk and 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk.

11 hours (273.1) BAEA 1 (75), SSHA 1 (96), RLHA 1 (15) TOTAL 3 (2135)

Monday, October 12 Steeples [Day 7] 1230-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature reached 12C and winds were initially SW, became E-SE between 1700 and 1800 after which it was calm. Clouds hung over the ridges until 1200 when they began to clear and cloud cover was then 60% altostratus and cumulus which gave partially sunny conditions. A season-high count of 39 migrants of 4 species comprised 19 Bald Eagles (13a, 6j), 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 1j, 2u), 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 14 Golden Eagles (12a, 2j). Only 1 migrant was seen before 1400 but the next 2 hours produced 14 and 16 migrants and the remaining 8 birds moved sporadically between 1600 and 1751. A non-migrant adult Golden Eagle was also recorded.

6 hours (24.5) BAEA 19 (37), SSHA 5 (11), RTHA 1 (4), GOEA 14 (23) TOTAL 39 (78)