Mount Lorette (31 Mar 2023) 12 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 31, 2023 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 1 | 86 | 86 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 11 | 11 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 11 | 1439 | 1439 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 12 | 1553 | 1553 |
| Observation start time: | 06:15:00 |
| Observation end time: | 18:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 11.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Caroline Lambert |
| Observers: | Ruth Morrow |
Visitors:
About half a dozen passers by stopped to ask about the activity. A couple came with binoculars and stayed for a bit.
Weather:
The day started out with cloudless blue skies and strong southwest ridge winds as evidenced by the snow blowing off the ridges all day. The temperature started at -7C, hit a high of 4C, and finished at 1C. Ground wind was from the west and kept us cool all day. Upper winds were moderate from the west. Clouds started appearing soon after the sun rose over the east ridge and gradually built up until by 17:00 both ridges were hidden, and it was snowing. We waited for an hour, by which time the east ridge was clearing up a bit, but the weather forecast and radar were indicating that this would be a brief respite, and with snow to the south we packed it in about an hour early.
Raptor Observations:
After several days of eagles soaring and flapping and making slow progress to the north, we thought the strong southwest winds this morning would favour a strong movement of migrants. However, it was not to be. The few eagles seen were indeed making fast and effortless progress, gliding high above the east ridge and sometimes almost overhead, but they were few indeed. The totals were 11 Golden Eagles (6a, 5u) and one adult Bald Eagle.
There were just two non-migrant raptors – one adult Golden Eagle flying from Lorette to Nakiska, and one adult Bald Eagle hunting over Hummingbird Plume.
Non-raptor Observations:
The day started out well with a singing dipper, singing robins, and several singing juncos. 15 Snow Geese flew over Patrick, and two skeins of Canada Geese, totalling 16, flew over the valley. Later in the day a flock of about 25 Bohemian Waxwings flew across the valley. But by afternoon most bird activity had ceased. Other birds were: Common Merganser 1, Common Raven 6, Black-capped Chickadee 2, Mountain Chickadee 1, Pine Siskin 3
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo – [Project Details]
