Beaver Mines and Steeples, April 8

Wednesday, April 08 Beaver Mines [Day 44] 0645-2030 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was -3C, the high at 1799 was 5.5C and it was 1C at 2030; and winds were mainly light (2-12 km/h) NNE-E all day. Cloud cover was initially 100% stratocumulus that obscured the top of the ridge to 0755 after which it was clear. At 1100 the cloud cover started to break with 60% cirrus and cumulus at 1200 and it was cloudless from 1230 to 1400. After 1400 100% uniform grey altostratus developed that persisted to 1700 after which it was 80-90% altostratus, altocumulus and increasing cirrus, 100% cirrostratus at 2000 and completely cloudless at 2030. Observing conditions were generally good and it was a pleasant day but the light upslope winds were unfavourable for migration and only 10 birds of 5 species were seen between 1324 and 1805, five of which occurred between 1608 and 1656. The count was 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks. 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 4 adult Golden Eagles and 1 adult female Peregrine Falcon. Non-migrants were 1 adult male Northern Harrier and 2 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks. At Mount Lorette Caroline Lambert reported 48 migrants in 13.25 hours of observation that comprised a season-high 14 Bald Eagles (4a, 9sa, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 3 adult  calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2 light morphs and 1 rufous morph) and 30 Golden Eagles (9a, 6sa, 7j, 8u). Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 36 Canada Geese, 1 pair of Northern Shoveler that were the first for the year, 18 Mallards, 1 Green-winged Teal, a lek of 18 Wild Turkeys, 14 Rock Pigeons, 2 Killdeer, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, a pair of Red-shafted Flickers, 1 Blue Jay, 13 American Crows, 21 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 10 American Robins, 90 European Starlings, 28 Pine Grosbeaks, 1 female House Finch, 1 female Cassin’s Finch that was the first of the season, and 27 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 cismontanus and 25 montanus).

13.75 hours (533.5) SSHA 1 (39) RTHA 2 (114), RLHA 2 (54), GOEA 4 (1018), PEFA 1 (5) TOTAL 10 (1601)

Wednesday, April 08 Steeples [Day 33] 1200-1830 (Vance Mattson). It was another pleasant day with the temperature reaching 12C, it was calm and cloud cover was up to 20% cumulus, altostratus and lenticular apart from between 1500 and 1600 when 80% thin altostratus formed. Conditions were mainly sunny. Six migrant raptors, 1 adult Turkey Vulture and 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 2j) were seen between 1215 and 1440. Non-migrants were 13 Turkey Vultures, 6 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 2j) with one of the adults seen carrying nesting material, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, and one adult resident Golden Eagle that dive-bombed a migrating adult Bald Eagle at 1245.

6.5 hours (175.3) TUVU 1 (2), BAEA 5 (115) TOTAL 6 (446)