Wednesday, April 4 Mount Lorette [Day 31] 0720-1810 (Blake Weis assisted by Dan Parliament and Cliff Hansen). The temperature at 0720 was -12C, the high was 2C at 1400 and 1500 and was -4C at 1800. Ground winds were SW 0-10 km/h to 1100 and then S-SW 0-10 gusting 15-20 km/h to 1700 when they switched to N-NE 10-20 gusting 40 km/h announcing the arrival of a cold front. Ridge winds were SW moderate to 1100 and moderate to strong to 1700 after which they were strong NW. Cloud cover was 40-70% altocumulus, cumulus and cirrus to 1500 which gave excellent observing conditions, but after 1700 80-90% low stratocumulus moved from the north and at 1800 completely obscured the eastern ridges that had been previously clear all day. The west ridges were variably 50-10% obscured to 1800 after which they were 90% cloud-covered. There were light snow flurries to 1700 after which steady light snow fell that became heavy as the observers left. Raptor migration consisted entire of eagles with 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 2j) and 22 Golden Eagles (13a, 1sa, 1j, 6u) moving between 0959 and 1721. With the exception of 3 birds movement was exclusively along the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette with only a few of the birds gliding high above the ridge. The pace was slow but steady with a high hourly count of 9 birds between 1400 and 1500. A resident adult Golden Eagle displayed high above Olympic summit and non-migrant single adult Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk were also noted. Other birds present were 1 male Common Goldeneye, a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneyes at Lorette Ponds, 3 male Common Mergansers, 3 Grey Jays, 6 American Crows, 17 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 American Dipper, 1 singing Townsend’s Solitaire, 26 American Robins, a flock of 28 Bohemian Waxwings, 2 male Red-winged Blackbirds and 1 Dark-eyed [Oregon] Junco. Only 3 visitors came to the site today.

10.83 (348.3) BAEA 6 (138), GOEA 22 (1881) TOTAL 28 (2089)

Wednesday, April 4 Beaver Mines [Day 39] 0700-1930 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature was -3C at 0700. The high was 4C (1300-1400 and 1600-1800) and after the arrival of a northern cold front around 1850 the temperature quickly fell to -3C at 1900 and by 1930 it was -7C. Winds were NW-WNW 10-15 km/h to 0900 after which they switched to favourable moderate W winds 20-30 gusting 45 km/h to 1850 when the winds in the valley became E 20-30 km/h while the warm W winds continued aloft. The mixing of the air masses created a misty haze at ridge level and finally brought light snow at 1930 when observation ended. Cloud cover was 20% altocumulus to 1000 after which it thickened to 70-100% mainly cumulus until 1900 that still allowed periods of sunshine and gave excellent observing conditions. There was a fairly strong and persistent raptor movement of 88 birds of 8 species between 0923 and 1859 with 42 of the birds occurring between 1500 and 1800. The count was 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa, 1j), 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, a season-high 9 adult Red-tailed Hawks: 8 calurus (7 light and 1 dark) and 1 dark morph harlani, 10 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 59 Golden Eagles (49a, 3sa, 5j, 2u), 1 adult female columbarius Merlin and 2 adult male Peregrine Falcons. Five of the Rough-legged Hawks were seen between 1823 and 1859 with the last bird disappearing into the mist created by the clash of the cold and warm air masses.

12.5 hours (384.2) BAEA 4 (207), SSHA 1 (9), NOGO 1 (18), RTHA 9 (49), RLHA 10 (86), UB 1 (6), GOEA 59 (1229), MERL 1 (7), PEFA 2 (3) TOTAL 88 (1635)

Wednesday, April 4 Steeples [Day 26] 1545-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 7C, winds were moderate to strong S-SW and cloud cover was 60-80% cumulus that gave partially sunny conditions. A total of 10 migrant Golden Eagles (8a, 2j) moved at an even pace between 1540 and 1738, and non-migrants present were 1 Turkey Vulture, 2 Bald Eagles (12a, 1j) and 1 Red-tailed Hawk. On the way to the site 6 Bald Eagles were seen fishing at the south end of Wasa Lake, as described yesterday.

3 hours (112) GOEA 10 (534) TOTAL 10 (655)

Tuesday, April 3 Mount Lorette [Day 30] 0730-2000 (Blake Weis assisted by Brian McBride, Caroline Lambert and Ethan Denton). The temperature at 0730 was -17C, the high at 1400-1500 and again at 1700-1900 was -1C and it was -2C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW 0-5 km/h all day that gusted to 15 km/h after 1100, and ridge winds were moderate SW all day. Cloud cover was altostratus, cumulus and altocumulus throughout, 30-60% to 1300 after which it was 80-90%. The east ridges were clear to 1900 after which they were up to 30% obscured, and the west was clear in the morning but variably 20-80% obscured in the afternoon. There were occasional snow flurries between 1400 and 1600. A total of 40 migrant raptors were recorded between 0910 and 1822 comprising 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1j), 1 unidentified large Accipiter, 4 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (3 light morphs: 1a, 2u, and 1 adult dark morph), and 31 Golden Eagles (24a, 3sa, 1j, 3u). The first 6 Golden Eagles were located over Mount Lorette and probably came from Wasootch Creek, but with a few exceptions after 1100 all the birds glided along the Fisher Range across to Mount Lorette, and soaring flight was seen in only the early and late migrants. Nine migrants were seen before 1100, only 3 moved in the next 2 hours and the main movement was 23 between 1300 and 1600 with a maximum hourly count of 13 (1400-1500); only 5 more birds were seen after 1600. Non-migrant raptors were an adult Bald Eagle, a pair of Northern Goshawks, one of which pursued a flock of American Robins over the Hay Meadow, and the resident pair of Golden Eagles that displayed together over Mount Old Baldy. Other bird species were 3 Common Goldeneyes, 5 Common Mergansers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 17 Common Ravens, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Boreal Chickadee, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 14 American Robins and 1 Dark-eyed Junco. Five visitors came to the site today.

12.5 hours (337.5) BAEA 4 (132), UA 1 (1), RTHA 4 (11), GOEA 31 (1859) TOTAL 40 (2061)

Tuesday, April 3 Beaver Mines [Day 38] 0700-2000 (Peter Sherrington). The starting temperature was -13C the high was 2C (1300-1500) and it was -1C at 2000. Winds were WNW 10-20 km/h to 1020 when they switched to W-WSW for the rest of the day, 20-35 gusting to 50 km/h, but becoming light (<5 km/h) at the end of the day. Cloud cover was initially 20% altostratus and altocumulus that quickly increased to 70-90% to 1030 when it was 10-20% cumulus to 1500, and then 70-100% altostratus and minor cumulus for the rest of the day. There were light snow flurries between 1520 and 1530, and 1805 and 1815, but they did not affect the good observing conditions that prevailed all day. A total of 64 migrant raptors of 6 species moved between 0731 and 1910 that comprised 6 adult Bald Eagles, 2 adult Northern Goshawks, the season’s first Broad-winged Hawk, an adult light morph bird, 5 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (3 light, 2 dark), 4 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light 3 dark) and 46 Golden Eagles (40a, 3sa, 3j). The first birds seen were 2 Rough-legged Hawks at 0731 but the main movement did not begin until the WSW winds began to blow after which migration was steady with a high hourly count of 10 (1300-1400). The last birds at 1910 were a kettle of 5 Golden Eagles that soared high above the ridge for several minutes before gliding to the NW. The Golden Eagle total to-date of 1170 is a new spring high count for the species at the site, one more than the 1169 counted in 2015. This probably reflects the higher number of observation hours rather than an increase in the number of migrating birds.

13 hours (371.7) BAEA 6 (203), NOGO 2 (17), BWHA 1 (1), RTHA 5 (40), RLHA 4 (76), GOEA 46 (1170) TOTAL 64 (1547)

Tuesday, April 3 Steeples [Day 25] 1545-1745 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 3C, cloud cover was 100% altostratus and cumulus and winds were strong S. The only migrants were 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk at 1545 and 1 adult Golden Eagle at 1620. The only other raptor seen was a resident adult Golden Eagle at 1717. More exiting events occurred on the way to and from the site, at a lagoon at the south end of Wasa Lake where 10 Bald Eagles (4a, 4 late subadults and 2 juveniles) were pulling small fish from the shallow water. When not fishing they perched in adjacent trees, or on the ice, sharing the lagoon with groups of mainly Tundra Swans and other waterfowl. About 30% of the eagles’ dives were successful, and because of the abundance of fish only minor conflicts between the birds were seen. The swans were unfazed by all this activity but the ducks took to diving when eagles approached.

2 hours (109) RTHA 1 (1), GOEA 1 (524) TOTAL 2 (645)

Monday, April 2 Mount Lorette [Day 29] 0720-1930 (George Halmazna assisted by Dan Parliament). The starting temperature was -14C, rose to a high of -5.5C at 1800 and was -8C at 1930. Ground winds were NE-NW 5-15 km/h that became light late in the day, and ridge winds were probably mainly light NE. Cloud cover was 100% low stratus that produced snow to 1000 after which it thinned slightly to 90-70% cumulus with snow flurries to 1700 when upper winds switched to NW and the skies cleared to 20% cumulus. Ridges were 100% obscured to 1000 and both the east and west ridges were not completely clear until 1800. The first migrant, a juvenile Bald Eagle, was not seen until 1527 but subsequently there was a fairly strong eagle movement to 1827 comprising 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) and 29 Golden Eagles (24a, 2j, 3u), with 14 of the birds seen between 1600 and 1700. All birds were located on the Fisher Range but only 5 were seen to move to Mount Lorette and some moved to the NE from the northern end of the Fisher Range. Two subadult Bald Eagles were considered to be non-migrants, and other birds present were 2 Common Goldeneyes, 1 Killdeer, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Blue Jay, 1 Black-billed Magpie, only 3 Common Ravens and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos. Unsurprisingly, with the cold weather, there were no visitors today.

12.16 hours (325) BAEA 3 (128), GOEA 29 (1828) TOTAL 32 (2021)

Monday, April 2 Beaver Mines [Day 37] 0700-1800 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was -13C, the high was -6C (1400-1600) and it was -11C at 2000. Winds were light all day and mainly from the S-ESE although between 1530 and 1830 it was essentially calm. Cloud cover was 100% low stratus to 1325 when it was 60% cumulus that diminished to 10% at 1700, after which 70% altocumulus and cumulus redeveloped to 1930 which again dwindled to 10% altocumulus at the end of observation. Observing conditions after 1330 were excellent. Light snow fell to 1330 by which time there was 17 cm of fresh snow on the ground. Raptor movement was slow and sporadic with 24 birds of 5 species moving between 1324 and 1907. The count was 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 19 Golden Eagles (17a, 2sa) and the season’s first Prairie Falcon, an adult male. Fifteen birds moved before 1538, but there was no further movement until 1837 after which a further 7 Golden Eagles and the Rough-legged Hawk were seen. The three-hour shut-down coincided with windless conditions on the ridge.

13 hours (358.7) BAEA 1 (197), NOGO 1 (15), RLHA 1 (72), UB 1 (5), GOEA 19 (1124), PRFA 1 (1) TOTAL 24 (1483)

Monday, April 2 Steeples [Day 24] 1400-1600 and 1630-1800 (Vance Mattson). As the ridges were heavily obscured to 1630, Vance observed for 2 hours from his house in Wasa, but counted only non-migrants: 3 Turkey Vultures, 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 2j), 1u Northern Goshawk and 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks. He arrived at the site at 1630 where the temperature was 2C, it was calm and cloud cover was 30% cumulus. Again no migrant raptors were seen, but the resident pair of Golden Eagles was present.

3.5 hours (107) TOTAL 0 (643)

Sunday, April 1 Mount Lorette [Day 28] 0720-1300 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rosemary). The temperature at 0720 was -14C, the high was -5C at 1200 and it was -6C at 1300 when the count was abandoned for the day. Ground winds were light SW to 1100, E 5-10 gusting 20 km/h after 1100 and N 5-10 gusting 25 km/h at 1230. Ridge winds were light to moderate W to 1200 and moderate N after 1230. Cloud cover was initially 80% altostratus and cirrostratus that reduced to 20% at 1000 and gave unexpected but welcome sunshine. By 1100 cloud was beginning to envelope the peaks and by 1200 cover was 100% stratus that lowered and brought snow at 1230, obscuring all the mountains and bringing the day’s count to an end at 1300. A total of 6 migrating eagles, 5 Golden Eagles (4a, 1j) and 1 unidentified eagle, were seen between 1055 and 1215 with 4 of the Golden Eagles moving between 1100 and 1200. The juvenile Golden Eagle moved on the western route and the rest were to the east. A resident Northern Goshawk called east of the river, and other birds in the area were 1 Killdeer, 1 Grey Jay, 5 Common Ravens, 1 Varied Thrush that sang east of the river and was the first for the season, and 60 Bohemian Waxwings. The brief period of sunshine lured 5 visitors to the site.

5.67 hours (312.8) GOEA 5 (1799), UE 1 (21) TOTAL 6 (1989)

Sunday, April 1 Beaver Mines [Day 36] 0700-1300 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was -11C and the high was -6C from 1100 to 1300 when the count was abandoned for the day. Winds were light NW-ESE to 1130 when ESE winds gusted to 30 km/h that brought snow and low stratus that had completely obscured the ridge by 1300. Cloud cover was altostratus that thinned enough to provide hazy sunshine between 1100 and 1230. Only 4 migrant raptors were seen: 1 juvenile light morph Ferruginous Hawk flying low in the valley at 1024, 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew high to the NNW at 1139, 1u female columbarius Merlin also flying low and the season’s first Northern Harrier, an unaged female that disappeared into snow over the ridge at 1240. Snow persisted for the rest of the day and the ridge remained obscured.

6 hours (345.7) NOHA 1 (1), SSHA 1 (8), FEHA 1 (4)

Sunday, April 1 Steeples (Vance Mattson) NO OBSERVATION (Weather). It snowed off-and-on all day and the valley and mountains were entirely obscured

Saturday, March 31 Mount Lorette [Day 27] 0800-2015 (Jim Davis, assisted by Ruth Morrow). The starting temperature was a bone-chilling -22C but it warmed to a high of -4C at 1700 and 1800, and was -5C at the end of observation. Ground winds were variable SW-E 5-15 km/h to 1600 when they switched to NE and became light late in the day. Ridge winds were generally SSW-SW light to 1300 increasing in the afternoon becoming strong after 1700 but diminishing again to light at the end of the day. At 1800 the clouds indicated SW winds on the E ridges and moderate to strong winds on the west ridges! Cloud cover was 20-30% cumulus all day, but valley fog to the west curtailed visibility until 1000. With the exception of Mount Lorette that was obscured to 1000, the eastern ridges were clear all day, but the west was 50% obscure to 1200, 70% to 1400 after which it rapidly cleared. Following the complete shutdown yesterday, there was a strong raptor movement of 199 birds of a season-high 6 species between 1000 and 1944. The count was a season-high 16 Bald Eagles (11a, 3sa, 2j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 2 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 1j) that were the earliest ever seen at the site, one day earlier that the 3 birds seen last year, 5 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (3 light, 1 rufous and 1 dark), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 171 Golden Eagles (112a, 8sa, 12j, 39u) and 2 unidentified eagles. About 75% of the movement between 1000 and 1600 was on the western route with birds moving in-and-out of cloud from Mount Kidd over Olympic Summit and on to the NW over Skogan Pass. After 1600 movement was low along the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette with much soaring flight but after 1700 birds glided very high above the Fisher Range that resulted in most birds being unaged. Thirty-five birds were recorded between 1000 and 1100 and peak movement was 50 (1300-1400). After 1500 the pace lessened but 14 birds moved between 1919 and 1994 in a late pulse. Other birds seen were 7 Canada Geese, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Grey Jays, 11 Common Ravens, 14 American Robins in a single flock and 2 European Starlings. The 46 visitors to the site all had fantastic views of migrating raptors.

12.25 (307.2) BAEA 16 (125), NOGO 1 (9), BWHA 2 (2), RTHA 5 (7), RLHA 2 (9), GOEA 171 (1794), UE 2 (20) TOTAL 199 (1983)

March summary (With variance from the long-term 1993-2016 20 year average, that excludes the anomalously low counts in 2008-2010 and 2012 which are considered invalid). 27 days (-6.7%), 307.2 hours (-1.5%): BAEA 125 (+12.8%), SSHA 7 (+182.7%), NOGO 9 (-20.3%), RTHA 7 (+50%), RLHA 9 (+76.6%), GOEA 1794 (-26.3%, the third-lowest valid March count at the site), UE 20 (+677.8%), GYRF 7 (+ 818.8%, and the highest ever March count), PEFA 1 (+200% and only the 8^th March record for the site) and 2 Prairie Falcons (+121.2%) TOTAL 1983 (-23.2%, the third-lowest valid combined species March count at the site) (10 species).

Saturday, March 31 Beaver Mines [Day 35] 0700-1815 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was -19C, the high was -8C at 1100 and 1300-1500 and it was -9C at 1815. Winds were light WSW to 0930 and again from 1600 to the end of observation, but between they were E-ESE 10-15 km/h. Cloud cover was 80-100% stratus and altocumulus to 0900, 80-20% cumulus to 1500 after which it was cloudless for the rest of the day. There was an ice crystal haze between 0700 and 1500 that thickened to a crystal fog between 1000 and 1100 that significantly reduced visibility. A total of 35 migrants of 5 species were seen between 1201 and 1801 comprising 4 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult female Sharp-shinned Hawk, 4 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 adult dark morph Ferruginous Hawk and 27 Golden Eagles (23a, 1sa, 3j). Peak hourly movement was 10 birds between 1300 and 1400 and again between 1600 and 1700. At 1450 an adult Northern Shrike was seen feeding on a starling that it had just killed. After pecking at it a few times it flew up to an adjacent low branch of an aspen and perched for a couple of minutes before again flying to the starling and pecking at it. It repeated this sequence twice more, and then flew back from its perch, picked the bird up from the snow with its feet and flew low downslope with it for about 50m. Sibly gives the average mass of a shrike as 65g and that of a starling as 82g so it was somewhat surprising that the shrike could carry something significantly heavier than itself over such a distance.

11.25 hours (339.75) BAEA 4 (196), SSHA 1 (7), RTHA 2 (35), FEHA 1 (3), GOEA 27 (1105) TOTAL 35 (1455)

March summary (with variance from the 2015-2017 average in parenthesis) 31 days (+14.8%), 305.7 hours(+53.7%), BAEA 183 (+3.8%), SSHA 7 (-54.3%), COHA 2, (+50%), NOGO 14 (-66.9%), RTHA 35 (-44.4%), FEHA 3 (+12.5%), RLHA 68 (+4.6%), UB 4 (-25%), GOEA 1092 (+15.8% and the highest ever March count), UE 3 (+80%), AMKE 1 (-70%), MERL 5 (-40%), GYRF 6 (+63.6%) and PEFA 1(-40%) TOTAL 1426 (+5.1%) (12 species compared to 17 species last year). Notably absent this March was Northern Harrier (average 14) and Prairie Falcon (average 5.3).

Saturday, March 31 Steeples [Day 23] 1230-1800 (Vance Mattson, assisted by Virginia Rasch). The temperature was -2C at the start and rose to a high of 4C. Conditions were calm and cloud cover of 30-50% cumulus gave continuous sunshine. A total of 8 migrants, 1 juvenile Bald Eagle and 7 Golden Eagles (6a, 1j), moved, between 1407 and 1645, with 6 of the birds seen between 1407 and 1451. Non-migrants were 3 Turkey Vultures, 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) and 2 Red-tailed Hawks.

5.5 hours (103.5) BAEA 1 (119), GOEA 7 (523) TOTAL 8 (643)

March summary (with variance from the 2010-2017 average in parenthesis) 23 days (+15%), 103.5 hours (+25.8%) BAEA 119 (+16.4%), NOGO 1 (-11.1%) and GOEA 523 (+86.6%, which is the highest ever March count). TOTAL 643 (+62.4%, which is the highest March combined-species count). Only 3 migrant species were seen, which is the lowest March species count ever). The number of raptors/hour was 6.21, 5.33% above average.

Friday, March 30 Mount Lorette (Bill Wilson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). A widespread northern front hit the area early in the morning bringing moderate NNE winds and steady snow that obscured all the mountains. Bill stayed to 1050 but as the forecast called for heavy snow all day he wisely decided to leave.

Friday, March 30 Beaver Mines [Day 34] 0730-1200 and 1700-2000 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature was 2C at 0730, rose to a high of 7C at 1100 but after the passage of the northern front around 1130 it quickly dropped and was -5C at 1200. Winds were WSW 30-50 gusting 70 km/h to 1130 when they became NE 35-45 km/h although the flow at height. Cloud cover was 20-80% cumulus with periods of 100% thin stratus and cumulus to 1130 when 100% low stratocumulus moved upslope that brought snow and quickly enveloped the ridge by 1200.

A total of 10 migrant raptors were seen between 0931 and 1126 comprising 3 Bald Eagles (2sa, 1j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 6 Golden Eagles (5a, 1u). A Golden Eagle at 1111 and the Rough-legged Hawk at 1121 soared very high over the “Big Hill” and disappeared into the base of the approaching up-slope cloud which they probably penetrated to reach the higher still prevailing strong WSW winds after they probably glided to the north above the cloud layer, out of sight. Ten centimetres of heavy snow fell all afternoon to 1700 that completely obscured the ridge and brought observation to a close at 1200. At 1700 the snow became light and the ridge re-emerged and was completely clear by 1850. The temperature was -11C at 1700 and the stratus cloud cover began to break, reducing to 80% altocumulus at 1900. ESE winds 10-15 km/h blew in the valley but an upper WSW light to moderate flow gave hope of further migration which did not materialise. The count ended at 1800 when the temperature was -13C.

7.5 hours (328.5) BAEA 3 (192), RLHA 1 (71), GOEA 6 (1078) TOTAL 10 (1420)

Friday, March 30 Steeples [Day 22] 1230-1730 (Vance Mattson). Conditions west of the Rockies were much better with a temperature of 9-10C, strong N-NE winds that became W after 1500 and 50-60% cumulus, altostratus and altocumulus cloud cover that gave mainly sunny conditions. Only one migrant raptor was seen, however: an adult Bald Eagles at 1407. Non-migrant birds were 1 Turkey Vulture, 1 juvenile Bald Eagle and a pair of light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks with two display flights performed by the noticeably smaller male.

5 hours (98) BAEA 1 (118) TOTAL 1 (635)