Beaver Mines and Steeples, November 12

Thursday, November 12 Vicki Ridge [Day 49] 0715-1725 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge, and Gord Petersen (1327-1650) at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0715 was -6C, the high at 1300 was -1.5C and it was -4C at 1725. Winds were W 50-60 gusting 70-85 all day and cloud cover was 30-80% cumulus, lenticular, altostratus and cirrus in the morning and 90-100% altostratus, cumulus, lenticular, cirrocumulus and cirrus throughout the afternoon that gave gloomy conditions accentuated by blowing snow and persistent very light snow. At Waterton 61 a total of 16 migrant raptors of 3 species moved between 0752 and 1557 comprising 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 12 Golden Eagles (10a, 1sa, 1j) with 4 of the birds moving between 1500 and 1600. Waterton 68 produced 7 migrants of 3 species between 1334 and 1552 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 2a Golden Eagles and 1 unidentified eagle: 4 of the birds were seen between 1400 and 1500. The combined sites count was 23 migrants of 3 species that moved between 0752 and 1557 and comprised 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 2j), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 14 Golden Eagles (12a, 1sa, 1j) and 1 unidentified eagle. Other birds seen were 1 Black-billed Magpie, 108 Common Ravens (60 at Waterton 61 and 48 at Waterton 68), 26 Bohemian Waxwings, 2 female Pine Grosbeaks and a flock of 22 Grey-crowned Rosy Finches (including 2 littoralis) that fed close to the Waterton 61 site for most of the day.

10.16 hours (484.8) BAEA 6 (329), RLHA 2 (286), GOEA 14 (2544), UE 1 (33) TOTAL 23 (4748)

Thursday, November 12 Mount Lorette [Day 51] 0815-1645 (Graeme Dunlop assisted by Glenn Webber). Another windy day produced 10 migrant eagles comprising 5a Bald Eagles and 5 Golden Eagles (3a, 1j, 1u) that were seen between 1030 and 1530.

8.5 hours (532.1) BAEA 5 (204), GOEA 5 (2610) TOTAL 10 (3201)

Thursday, November 12 Steeples (Vance Mattson) No observation (weather). When Vance finished work at 1600 the mountains were still mainly shrouded, as they were all day.