Beaver Mines and Steeples, November 10

Tuesday, November 10 Vicki Ridge [Day 47] 0815-1400 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge, including 1299-1310 at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0815 was -5C, the high at 1100 was -1C and it was -3C when the count was abandoned for the day at 1400. Winds were W 30-40km/h throughout that gusted 50-65 km/h between 0900 and 1100, and cloud cover was 60-70% altocumulus and cumulus to 1045 which gave mainly sunny conditions before dark stratus began to move from the NNE and by 1130 it had blanketed the area. Light snow began to fall at 1200 which became moderate by 1400 and obscured all the ridges. A total of 5 migrants of 3 species were recorded between 0925 and 1158 that comprised 1a Northern Goshawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 3 Golden Eagles (1a, 1sa, 1j). At 0930 the goshawk and an adult and a juvenile Golden Eagle soared high above Vicky Ridge in bright sunshine and raised our hopes of a decent movement but it was not to be! Other birds seen were 6 Black-billed Magpies, 30 Common Ravens and 25 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches that fed at the Waterton 61 site and included 2 birds of the coastal mountains race littoralis (“Hepburn’s Rosy-Finch”).

5.75 hours (464.6) NOGO 1 (98), RLHA 1 (284), GOEA 3 (2530) TOTAL 5 (4721)

Tuesday, November 10 Mount Lorette (George Halmazna assisted by Dan Parliament). No observation (weather). Snow all day with the mountains obscured.

Tuesday, November 10 Steeples (Vance Mattson) No observation (weather). Snow and low overcast cloud obscured the mountains all day.