Beaver Mines and Steeples, October 29

Thursday, October 29 Vicki Ridge [Day 38] 0830-1845 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, assisted by Phil Nicholas (1100-1536) observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge; and Phil Nicholas (1550-1725) at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 6C, the high was 9C at 1600 and it was 5C at 1845. The wind was WSW all day, light to 1100 then 20-30 gusting to 60 km/h to 1700 when it again became light. Cloud cover was 100% cirrostratus, cumulus and altocumulus to 1100 and then 90-100% stratocumulus with altostratus and altocumulus seen through small breaks in the cloud that gave gloomy conditions for the rest of the day. At Waterton 61 the first migrant was not seen until 1112 after which there was a steady movement involving 85 birds of 8 species up to 1745. The flight comprised 36 Bald Eagles (18a, 4 sa2, 1sa1, 11j, 2u), 8 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 5u), 1a Cooper’s Hawk, 4 Northern Goshawks (3a, 1j), 1 undifferentiated dark morph Red-tailed Hawk, 4 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 28 Golden Eagles (25a, 2j, 1u), 2 unidentified eagles and 1a male Peregrine Falcon. The highest single-hour count was 26 between 1600 and 1700. From 1550 to 1725 Phil was at the Waterton 68 site where he saw 27 migrants of 4 species between 1604 and 1707 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (6a, 1j), 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 1a Golden Eagle, 15 unidentified eagles that were distant silhouetted birds to the west of the ridge, and 1u columbarius Merlin. Twenty-five of the birds were seen between 1600 and 1700. The combined site count was 112 birds of 9 species that moved between 1112 and 1745 and comprised a season high 43 Bald Eagles (24a, 4sa2, 1sa1, 12j, 2u), 10 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a 7u), 1a Cooper’s Hawk, 4 Northern Goshawks (3a, 1j), 1 undifferentiated dark morph Red-tailed Hawk, 4 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 29 Golden Eagles (26a, 2j, 1u), 15 unidentified eagles, 1u columbarius Merlin and 1a male Peregrine Falcon. The highest combined site hourly count was 51 between 1600 and 1700. Other birds seen were 1 Common Loon that flew high to the west at 1514, 1 Canada Jay, 4 Black-billed Magpies, 39 Common Ravens, 2 American Robins and 774 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10.25 hours (377.9) BAEA 43 (237), SSHA 10 (938), COHA 1 (145), NOGO 4 (71), RTHA 1 (211), RLHA 4 (197), UB 1 (8), GOEA 29 (2376), UE 17 (29), MERL 1 (25), PEFA 1 (7) TOTAL 112 (4336)

Thursday, October 29 Mount Lorette [Day 38] 0830-1700 (Graeme Dunlop assisted by Rick Robb). Light rain fell for most of the day and low cloud obscured the Fisher Range on occasion but despite the conditions a total of 31 migrants of 7 species migrated at a low altitude between 0915 and 1445 The flight comprised 1a Bald Eagle, 1j Northern Harrier, 2u Cooper’s Hawks, 1 undifferentiated dark morph Red-tailed Hawk, 24 Golden Eagles (10a, 2sa, 2j. 10u), and 1 small unidentified falcon. Only one bird was seen after 1400.

8.5 hours (416.9) BAEA 1 (142), NOHA 1 (12), COHA 2 (22), NOGO 1 (60), RTHA 1 (66), GOEA 24 (2499), UF 1 (8) TOTAL 31 (3007)

Thursday, October 29 Steeples [Day 16] 1600-1700 (Vance Mattson). One hour of observation at the Wolf Creek site, where the temperature was 10C, it was calm with a cloud cover of 50% cumulus and altostratus, produced a single migrating adult Golden Eagle. Non-migrants consisted of one adult Bald Eagle, and a Golden Eagle that was harassed by an adult Northern Goshawk that included one dive directly at the eagle that remained indifferent throughout the assault.

1 hour (50) GOEA 1 (51) TOTAL 1 (114)