Beaver Mines and Steeples, March 12

Thursday, March 12 Beaver Mines [Day 19] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0730 was -12C, the high at 1600 was 2C and it was -2C at 1930. Calm conditions to 0900 were followed by light WSW winds to 1200, then NW 10-25 km/h to 1430, WNW-WSW 15-20 gusting 35 km/h that produced the peak raptor movement to 1600, after which they again became light WSW and finally very light NNE at 1900. It was cloudless to 0810 when cumulus cloud started to form and comprised 30-80% of the cover to 1500 and was then 40-80% with minor altocumulus and cirrus for the rest of the day. Observing conditions were excellent throughout and contributed to a season-high count of 92 migrants that consisted of 12 Bald Eagles (10a, 2j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and a season high 76 Golden Eagles (73a, 1sa, 2u). Only 4 birds were recorded between 0948 and 1300 but the migration became increasingly strong as the winds increased and peaked at 48 birds (3 Bald and 45 Golden Eagles) between 1500 and 1600 with only 2 birds seen between 1700 and 1734 as the winds again became light. Non-migrant birds were 1 late subadult Bald Eagle, an adult Northern Goshawk that hunted on the ridge and made a vertical parachute stoop (probably onto a red squirrel), which is an unusual hunting strategy for the species, and a resident adult Golden Eagle which was seen hunting on two occasions. Other birds seen were 17 Canada Geese, 18 Rock Pigeons, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 3 Steller’s Jays, 3 Blue Jays, 6 Black-billed Magpies, 40 Common Ravens, 8 Black-capped Chickadees, 14 Mountain Chickadees, 45 European Starlings, 24 Evening Grosbeaks, 40 Pine Grosbeaks, 1 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch, 1 American Tree Sparrow and 27 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 cismontanus and 25 montanus). Cornell VanRyk reported the return of an adult light morph Ferruginous Hawk near last year’s nest site, and also saw the first Killdeer for the area this year.

12 hours (203.5) BAEA 12 (104), NOGO 1 (10), RLHA 3 (37), GOEA 76 (259) TOTAL 92 (414)

Thursday, March 12 Steeples [Day 10] 1545-1845 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 4C, winds were moderate S that became light and variable towards the end of the day and cloud cover was 80% altostratus and cumulus that reduced to 40% cumulus. There was a fairly strong raptor movement of 18 birds between 1610 and 1823 that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle and a season-high 17 Golden Eagles (15a, 2j). The birds moved mainly in small groups: the first birds were a line of 4 adults and subsequently two groups of 3 and two of 2 were seen. A single unaged resident Golden Eagle was also recorded.

3 hours (27.75) BAEA 1 (16), GOEA 17 (45) TOTAL 18 (62)