Beaver Mines and Steeples, October 11

Sunday, October 11 Vicki Ridge [Day 22] 0800-1850 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, assisted by Pat Lucas (1530-1800) observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge; and Gord Petersen and Cathy Scrimshaw at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite, 1145-1830). The temperature at 0800 was 3C the high was 7C (1200-1300 and 1600-1700) and it was 4C at 1850. Winds were WSW to 1530 when they switched to W, strong all day gusting 50-70 km/h to 1300 and 80-90 km/h after 1400 that only moderated to 15-35 km/h after 1830. Cloud cover was mainly dark cumulus with stratus to the west that varied between 10 and 70% and brought periods of snow flurries especially after 1300. At 1800 the cloud mass to the west moved eastwards and brought 90-100% altostratus, altocumulus, cirrus and cumulus for the rest of the day. Observing conditions were generally good all day except during brief periods when the flurries thickened to snow showers. At the Waterton 61 site a total of 124 migrant raptors of 6 species were counted between 0821 and 1740 that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1sa, 1u), 1j male Northern Harrier, 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (4a, 1j, 2u), 3a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 109 Golden Eagles (88a, 4sa, 13j, 4u). The day started well with 35 Golden Eagles moving between 0821 and 0859, followed by 26 migrants including 25 Golden Eagles during the following hour but the flow then gradually reduced and only 13 birds were seen after 1400. At the Waterton 68 site a total of 129 migrants of 7 species were counted between 1149 and 1809 that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa), 28 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 1j, 24u), 2 Cooper’s Hawks (1j, 1u), 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 14 Rough-legged Hawks (10 light, 4 dark), 79 Golden Eagles (46a, 3sa, 23j, 7u) and 1j Peregrine Falcon. The maximum hourly count was 35 between 1200 and 1300. The combined species count was 253 migrant raptors of 8 species that moved between 0821 and 1809 and comprised 6 Bald Eagles (3a, 2sa, 1u), 1j male Northern Harrier, 35 Sharp-shinned Hawks (7a, 2j, 26u), 2 Cooper’s Hawks (1j, 1u), 4a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 16 Rough-legged Hawks (12 light, 4 dark), 188 Golden Eagles (134a, 7sa, 36j, 11u) and 1j Peregrine Falcon. The highest combined-site hourly count was 50 between 1200 and 1300. Other bird species seen were 1 unidentified large gull, 1 Pacific Loon that flew high to the west at 1226, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 22 Black-billed Magpies, 114 Common Ravens, 20 American Robins and 8 Pine Siskins.

10.83 hours (240.1) BAEA 6 (53), NOHA 1 (21), SSHA 35 (799), COHA 2 (123), RTHA 4 (195), RLHA 16 (62), GOEA 188 (1238), PEFA 1 (4) TOTAL 253 (2613)

Sunday, October 11 Mount Lorette [Day 22] 0800-1900 (Lori Anderson assisted by Patrick Farley). Observers counted 79 raptors of 6 species that comprised 4a Bald Eagles, 1j dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 1u Rough-legged Hawk, 65 Golden Eagles (29a, 4sa, 8j, 24u), 6 unidentified eagles, 1u columbarius Merlin and 1 large unidentified falcon.

11 hours (262.1) BAEA 4 (74), RTHA 1 (56), RLHA 1 (14), GOEA 65 (1756), UE 6 (19), MERL 1 (11), UF 1 (7) TOTAL 79 (2132)

Sunday, October 11 Steeples [Day 6] 1200-1815 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 11C, winds were S moderate to strong and cloud cover was 100-70% altostratus and dark cumulus. For the first time this season there was a fairly strong raptor movement of 33 birds of 5 species between 1215 and 1805 that comprised 17 Bald Eagles (6a, 2sa, 9j), 4u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1a Northern Goshawk, 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 9 Golden Eagles (6a, 1j, 2u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The highest hourly count was 13 between 1600 and 1700. The count was a near duplicate as that on the same date last year for both eagle species, including the age ratios. The resident pair of Golden Eagles was seen moving west into the valley and a non-migrant juvenile Bald eagle was also recorded.

6.25 hours (18.5) BAEA 17 (18), SSHA 4 (6), NOGO 1 (1), RTHA 1 (3), GOEA 9 (9), UE 1 (1) TOTAL 33 (39)