Beaver Mines and Steeples, October 22

Thursday, October 22 Vicki Ridge [Day 31] 1130-1830 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge. Steady snow fell to 1130 when the count started with 35 cm of fresh snow on the ground. The temperature at 1130 was -10C, the high at 1500 was -9C and it was -12C at 1830, and winds were generally light ESE-SSE with regular gusts to 15 km/h. Cloud cover was initially 80% cumulus and stratocumulus that reduced to 60% at 1300 and produced an hour of hazy sunshine before it thickened again to 100% stratocumulus and cumulus that became 80% cumulus after 1800. Light snow fell throughout the count but the ridges, although on occasion hazy, remained clear. The only migrant raptors seen were 3 adult Golden Eagles that moved south at 1240, 1347 and 1503. Other birds seen were 51 Canada Geese that flew south in 2 flocks: 26 at 1339 and 25 at 1655, 7 Canada Jays, 8 Black-billed Magpies, 21 Common Ravens, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire, 2 American Robins, 80 Bohemian Waxwings in 2 flocks that were the first of the season, 50 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches that fed on bare rock surfaces on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, 6 American Tree Sparrows and 7 Dark-eyed [hyemalis] Juncos. Persistent snow is forecast to fall over the next two days so observation opportunities may be limited.

7 hours (317.6) GOEA 3 (2021) TOTAL 3 (3777)

Thursday, October 22 Mount Lorette [Day 32] 0815-1800 (Graeme Dunlop). Because of the high wind-chill values and light snow that fell all day Graeme decided to watch from the Wasootch Creek site on highway 40 between Mount Lorette and the northern end of the Fisher range. This proved to be a good decision as the tops of the mountains and the ridges were often shrouded with cloud and raptor movement was low from Mount Lorette with some birds moving SE along Wasootch Creek and the rest moving low against the lower slopes of the Fisher Range. A total of 21 raptors of 6 species moved in this fashion between 0930 and 1750 with all but 6 of the birds seen before 1200. The count was 5a Bald Eagles, 1a female Northern Harrier, 2a Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1j Northern Goshawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 11 Golden Eagles (7a, 2sa, 2j). Graeme believes that most if not all of these birds could not have been seen if he had observed from the usual Hay Meadow site.

9.75 hours (357.3) BAEA 5 (108), NOHA 1 (10), SSHA 2 (99), NOGO 1 (55), RLHA 1 (26), GOEA 11 (2329) TOTAL 21 (2783)

Thursday, October 22 Steeples [Day 11] 1615-1745 (Vance Mattson). The cloud cleared from the ridges in the afternoon but no migrants were seen. The temperature was 1C, it was calm and 60% cumulus and altocumulus cloud gave sunny conditions. A resident adult and a juvenile Golden Eagle soared together over the first truly snow–covered landscape seen this season. The forecast calls for 5-10 cm of snow tomorrow so observation is unlikely.

1.5 hours (32.5) TOTAL 0 (83)