Beaver Mines and Steeples, October 10

Saturday, October 10 Vicki Ridge [Day 21] 0800-1715 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, assisted by Carol and Cornell van Rike (1350-1445) observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge; and Gord Petersen at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite, 1045-1540). The temperature at 0800 was 12C the high was 16C at 1100 after which it steadily fell and was 9C when the count was abandoned at 1715. Winds were WSW all day, 20-30 km/h to 0950 after which they were strong for the rest of the day gusting to 55 km/h to 1200 and then gusting 70-80 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 70-90% cumulus, altocumulus, cirrus, altostratus and lenticular to 1230 when light rain started to blow to the east from darkening cumulus cloud in the west, which became steady rain after 1400. After 1400 cloud cover was 70-100% dark stratocumulus to the west and altostratus to the east. There was a light smoke haze initially which significantly thickened after 1115 but which disappeared after the rain started. It was a really unpleasant day! At Waterton 61 a total of only 17 migrants of 3 species were seen between 0919 and 1641 that comprised 3u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk and 13 Golden Eagles (8a, 2j, 3u). Seven birds were seen between 1000 and 1100 and 6 between 1200 and 1300 but only 1 bird was seen after 1415. There was a stronger movement at Waterton 68 where 43 migrants of 4 species moved between 1054 and 1522 comprising 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1j, 6u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 2a calurus Red-tailed Hawks and 33 Golden Eagles (18a, 2sa, 6j, 7u). The highest hourly count was 14 between 1200 and 1300, and rain brought the count to an end at 1540. The combined speciescount was 60 migrant raptors of 4 species that moved between 0919 and 1641 and comprised 10 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1j, 9u), 2u Cooper’s Hawks, 2a calurus Red-tailed Hawks and 46 Golden Eagles (26a, 2sa, 8j, 10u). The highest hourly combined count was 20 between 1200 and 1300. After leaving the site it became apparent that the Livingstone Range to the north was completely obscured by cloud. Only three other bird species were seen: 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 24 Common Ravens and 8 American Robins.

9.25 hours (229.2) SSHA 10 (764), COHA 2 (121), RTHA 2 (191) GOEA 46 (1050) TOTAL 60 (2360)

Saturday, October 10 Mount Lorette [Day 21] 0800-1820 (Blake Weis assisted by Sandy Graham). The total of 102 migrant raptors of 4 species comprised 1a Bald Eagle, 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1j), 95 Golden Eagles (10a, 6sa, 9j, 70u) and 2 unidentified eagles. The high percentage of unaged Golden Eagles resulted from very high flying birds being silhouetted against a dense cloud cover.

10.33 hours (251.1) BAEA 1 (70), SSHA 1 (95), NOGO 3 (44), GOEA 95 (1691) UE 2 (13) TOTAL 102 (2053)

Saturday, October 10 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation (weather). Rain with heavily overcast conditions.