Beaver Mines and Steeples, April 19

Sunday, April 19 Beaver Mines [Day 55] 0615-2045 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0615 was 2C, the high at 1700 was 12.5C and it was 9C at 2045. Winds were moderate WSW-SW all day, 20-30 gusting 40 km/h and it was cloudless to 1245 and again after 1740, and between there was cloud cover of 20-30% cumulus that gave sunny conditions throughout. Migration and observation conditions were excellent and a total of 54 migrants of 8 species were seen between 0742 and 1930, which is the highest count at the site since April 9. The total comprised 13 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa3, 6j), 4 Northern Harriers (2u females, 2 juvenile males), 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 3u), 1 adult Cooper’s Hawk, 4 Northern Goshawks (3a, 1sa), 18 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (16a, 2u light morphs and 2a dark morphs), 7 Golden Eagles (3a, 1sa, 3j) and 2 American Kestrels (1 male, 1u). Movement was again high and fairly steady all day with the exception of the period 1524 to 1702 when no migrants were seen. The maximum hourly count was 1800-1900 when 11 migrants passed. Resident birds were a pair of Northern Harriers and a single adult male that were conspicuous for much of the day. Both males displayed vigorously especially when migratory, probably juvenile, females passed above the ridge when both males were seen displaying about 100 m apart: spring was finally in the air! Three pairs of Red-tailed Hawks hunted and occasionally displayed, but no hunting Sharp-shinned Hawks visited the site for the first time in weeks. At Mount Lorette Lori Anderson reported 43 migrants of 4 species in 14.5 hours of observation that comprised 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa2, 1j), 4 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 3u), 2 unidentified Accipiters (1 large and 1 small), 1 light morph Rough legged Hawk and 31 Golden Eagles (1a, 8sa, 15j, 7u). Birds moved steadily and very high under clear skies for much of the day. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 10 Canada Geese, 6 Mallards, 16 Green-winged Teal, 1 pair of Common Mergansers, 1 Wild Turkey, 13 Rock Pigeons, a pair of Sandhill Cranes, 1 Red-shafted Flicker, 2 Steller’s Jays, 3 Blue Jays, 31 American Crows, 16 Common Ravens, 3 Tree Swallows 5 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 6 American Robins, 28 European Starlings, 13 Evening Grosbeaks, 5 Pine Grosbeaks, a flock of about 500 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches that flew high to the NNW at 1856, 29  Dark-eyed Juncos (4 cismontanus and 25 montanus) and 5 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

14.5 hours (687.2) BAEA 13 (347), NOHA 4 (27), SSHA 5 (60), COHA 1 (11), NOGO 4 (40), RTHA 18 (238), GOEA 7 (1080), AMKE 2 (7) TOTAL 54 (1925)

Sunday, April 19 Steeples [Day 42] 1300-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature reached 16C, it was calm and 50% cumulus cloud cover gave mainly sunny conditions, but despite the delightful weather only 3 migrants were seen between 1346 and 1445: 1 adult Bald Eagle and 2 Golden Eagles (1a, 1j). Non-migrants were 6 Turkey Vultures, 2 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 2 adult Red-tailed Hawks and 1 juvenile Golden Eagle.

4.5 hours (223) BAEA 1 (134), GOEA 2 (329) TOTAL 3 (489)