Mount Lorette (14 Oct 2025) 28 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 14, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Bald Eagle | 2 | 38 | 42 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 2 | 159 | 189 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 10 | 14 |
| American Goshawk | 1 | 10 | 16 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 18 | 40 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 1 | 15 | 15 |
| Golden Eagle | 22 | 1332 | 1474 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 8 | 13 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 5 | 11 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 5 | 11 |
| Total: | 28 | 1609 | 1854 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 9 hours |
| Official Counter | Ethan Denton , Rick Robb |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
We were lucky to have several people stay for varying lengths to help spot, and a small number of people wandered down the trail. All told, around 30 visitors.
Weather:
It started somewhat chilly at -10 degrees, rising as far as 4 by the afternoon. Wind was once again non-existant, both at ground and ridge level. No clouds dared mar the stunningly blue sky.
Raptor Observations:
All migrants were very low and working hard for any progress they made. 22 Golden Eagles battled their way across our sightlines, rarely coming close to the ridges. Almost all were adults. They nearly exclusively moved from the east side of Lorette across the valley, reaching Patrick halfway up or lower and crossing in front of the face. Some managed to rise to ridge-level by the bumps, but most continued low.
A couple non-Golden migrants passed by, these being 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, a Goshawk, 2 Bald Eagles and a gorgeous dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk.
The resident Gos escorted the migrating one through the valley, cackling as it went. Two resident Bald Eagles (1a, 1s) flew by, as did the adult resident Golden.
Non-raptor Observations:
It was an incredibly slow day for non-raptors. A Belted Kingfisher flew by, the Dipper was heard, and almost nothing else of note was observed. There were some Mule Deer in the parking lot on the way out!
Report submitted by Ethan Denton (ethan@suechick.com)
Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Trektellen.org – [Project Details]
