Lorette and Beaver Mines, March 7

March 7 [Day 6] (Brian McBride, assisted by Fred Bowen) 0730-1730. The temperature was a numbing -25C at 0730 but rose to a high of -6C at 1400 and 1500 before falling to -9C at 1730. Ground winds were NW all day, light to 1400 and 5-20 km/h after, while ridge winds were moderate W all day causing blowing snow on the western ridges. Cloud cover was cumulus and stratus all day, 10-20% in the morning and 30-60% in the afternoon, and although there was deep snow on the ground no fresh snow fell today. The ridges were clear all day except for a brief 30% occlusion of the western ridges around 1500. Despite the apparent favourable migration and observing conditions no migrant raptors were seen, and the only birds seen were 2 Grey Jays and 3 Common Ravens. Much more common were visitors with a total of 33 making it to the site today including a party of 27 students and staff from Crescent Heights High School in Calgary.

10 hours (58.34) TOTAL 0 (13)

Beaver Mines [Day 11] (Peter Sherrington) 1000-1800. There was dense fog in the valley that did not clear until 0950 after which the ridge was clear all day. The temperature at the start of observation at 1000 was -10C that briefly rose to a high of -6C at 1200 and was -10C at 1800. Winds were E-ESE all day, 10-20 gusting 30 km/h and cloud cover was 90-50% cumulus with minor stratus to 1630 that gave hazy sunshine, after which uniform stratus developed. Although observing conditions were ideal, the east winds, and possible snowfall to the south were not conducive to migration and no migrant raptors were seen. The highlight of the day, however, was a Northern Saw-whet Owl that I first saw flying in my yard at 0930 and it subsequently perched and hunted there until 1710. During this time it caught and ate at least one White-footed Mouse and made other unsuccessful vertical hunting plunges from aspen branch perches. It was quite confiding and I managed to take 57 very good photographs of it under excellent light conditions. “Fortunately” with a total absence of migrants I had plenty of time on my hands!

8 hours (69.25) TOTAL 0 (126)

Steeples (Vance Mattson) No observation.

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (March 1 to April 22)

DAYS 6

HOURS 58.34

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 0

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 4

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 0

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 0

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 0

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 0

Accipiter sp. (UA) 0

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 0

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 0

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 0

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 0

Buteo sp. (UB) 0

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 9

Eagle sp. (UE) 0

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 0

MERLIN (MERL) 0

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 0

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 0

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 0

Falco sp. (UF) 0

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 0

TOTAL 13