NOTE CHANGE FROM MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME (MDT) TO MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME (MST): -1 HOUR.

Sunday, November 5 [Day 41] (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson) 0655-1720. The temperature at 0700 was -14C, the high was -9C at 1500 and it was -10C at the end of observation. Ground winds were variable but mainly N 0-3 km/h to 1100, then 2-6 gusting 10 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were probably light NE-ENE all day. Cloud cover was 100%, often thin, stratus all day except when it briefly reduced to 70% around 1400. The eastern ridges were slightly draped with cloud to 1200, were 20% occluded to 1500 after which they were 60-70% obscured for the rest of the day, while the west was 60-90% obscured for most of the day. Very light snow fell to 1000 and again after 1600. After four days of an almost total shut-down there was finally a reasonable raptor movement with 27 migrants of 3 species counted between 1318 and 1558 that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 23 Golden Eagles (21a, 1sa, 1j) and 1 unidentified eagle that was the last migrant of the day. The hourly counts during the movement were 6 (1318-1400), 15 (1400-1500) and 6 (1500-1558). With the exception of the adult Bald Eagle that was seen to the west, all birds used the eastern route with much flapping flight in the calm conditions and some soaring, mainly against the face of the Fisher Range but with occasional birds rising well above the ridge. Several bird flocks flew high to the south above the valley comprising 51 Canada Geese, 120 Mallards, 37 Northern Pintails, 1 Common Loon, and 4 European Starlings, while other birds present near the site were 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 American Dipper, 1 Snow Bunting, 1 Pine Grosbeak and 20 Common Redpolls. Fifty-two Elk fed on the slopes of the ski-hill, and 7 visitors skied to the site today.

10.42 hours (443.8) BAEA 2 (157), NOGO 1 (28), GOEA 23 (3196), UE 1 (7) TOTAL 27 (3596)

Vicki Ridge [Day 42] (Peter Sherrington) 1345-1615 (Observation from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge, and east of ridge from Seven Gates Road). Light snow continued to fall all day and the ridges were obscured until around 1330 when hazy sunshine suggested the possibility of movement. The temperature was -12C throughout the observation period, winds were calm or light SE, cloud cover was 100% stratus and the ridges were mainly clear. No migrant raptors were seen, however, and when I drove to the north later in the day the Livingstone Range and adjacent foothills were completely obscured. Apart from 12 ravens that mainly flew westwards to roost the only birds seen was a flock of 60 Bohemian Waxwings.

2.5 hours (337.3) TOTAL 0 (3841)

Steeples [Day 35] (Vance Mattson) 1000-1715. As the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Purcell Ranges to the west were fully obscured all day, Vance again observed from the valley center at the Kootenay River Site. The starting temperature was -5C at 1100, reached a high of -2C and dropped to -3C at the end of observation. Winds were light to moderate NW, and cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus, though cloud was thinner throughout the center of the valley and provided hazy sunshine throughout most of the day. There was again a fairly strong movement of 32 migrants of 5 species that comprised 20 Bald Eagles (10a, 8j, 2u), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 8 Golden Eagles (3a, 5j) and 1 unidentified eagle. The first migrants seen were adults of each eagle species at 1020, although no further migrants were seen until 1206 when a juvenile Golden Eagle and the Red-tailed Hawk soared and flapped low over the fields east of the river. Ten further migrants were counted before 1300, although the next three hours produced only 5, 2, and 5 migrants, respectively. The last hour, from 1600 to 1700, saw a late movement of 6 Bald Eagles, including the last, a juvenile, at 1639. Today’s flight was a combination of soaring and flapping, with flapping flight becoming more prevalent as the day progressed.

7.25 hours (165.8) BAEA 20 (268), NOGO 1 (13), RTHA 1 (51), RLHA 1 (14), GOEA 8 (128), UE 1 (2) TOTAL 32 (597)

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (September 20 to November 15)

DAYS 41

HOURS 443.8

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 2

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 157

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 6

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 81

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 18

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 28

Accipiter sp. (UA) 3

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 1

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 29

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 1

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 27

Buteo sp. (UB) 10

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 3196

Eagle sp. (UE) 7

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 3

MERLIN (MERL) 5

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 4

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 7

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 6

Falco sp. (UF) 3

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 2

TOTAL 3596

Saturday, November 4 [Day 40] (Jim Davis, assisted by Heinz Unger) 0840-1545. Observation was conducted at Wasootch Creek due east of the Hay Meadow site on Highway 40 where there was 30 cm of snow on the ground and the starting temperature was -23C (with a wind-chill of -32C) with a high of -16C at 1100, 1200 and 1545. Ground winds were light SW, ridge winds were probably moderate SW and cloud cover was initially 20% cumulus that gradually increased throughout the day and became 100% at 1530 that brought steady snow. The east ridges were clear to 1530 when they became 100% obscured, and the west was 60% obscured to 1100 after which it was completely cloud-covered. Despite the apparently favourable migration conditions for much of the day only 2 migrants were seen: 1 adult Bald Eagle that flew south from Mount Lorette over the centre of the valley at 1315, and 1u Golden Eagle that flew from Lorette low against the face of the Fisher Range at 1406. Other birds were 2 Northern Pygmy-Owls duetting at 1344, 2 American Robins and 1 female Pine Grosbeak, and 3 Grey Wolves crossed Wasootch Creek: 1 completely black, 1 mainly black with brown underparts and 1 brown with light tan underparts. Two visitors were also surprisingly recorded.

7.08 hours (433.4) BAEA 1 (155), GOEA 1 (3173) TOTAL 2 (3569)

Vicki Ridge [Day 41] (Peter Sherrington) 1145-1345. (Observation from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge). The forecast called for clearing today which it appeared to be doing so I managed to get to The Waterton 61 site where there was about 50 cm of snow on the ground. The temperature was -15C, winds were light W to calm and cloud cover was 80% cumulus although light snow still fell and the clouds were nearly obscured by an ice-crystal haze. The ridges were clear, however, until 1330 when steady snow began to fall that obscured the ridges again for the rest of the day. No migrants were seen and the only birds recorded were 1 perched Common Raven and, much more surprisingly, 1 perched male Mountain Bluebird.

2 hours (334.8) TOTAL 0 (3841)

Steeples [Day 34] (Vance Mattson) 1300-1700. The valley was heavily overcast most of the day, but it looked as if things might clear around 1300 when observation began, as yesterday, from the Kootenay River site since the mountains were still heavily shrouded. The temperature was -5C and it was calm throughout the observation period. Four adult Bald Eagles and one juvenile dark morph calurus Red-Tailed Hawk were seen, though none of these birds were migrating. As the mountains began to clear Vance returned to the regular site from 1400 to 1445, but the ridges quickly became entirely shrouded again, and the Rockies to the north were fully concealed so he decided to go back to the valley and observed again from the Kootenay River site from 1500 to 1700 after which the overcast conditions thickened and covered the entire valley. Only 2 migrants were counted there, however: one light morph Rough-legged Hawk at 1501 and one adult Bald Eagle at 1605. Both migrants exhibited the same pattern as yesterday’s later birds with flapping flight low over the river.

4 hours (158.5) BAEA 1 (248), RLHA 1 (13) TOTAL 2 (565)

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (September 20 to November 15)

DAYS 40

HOURS 433.4

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 2

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 155

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 6

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 81

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 18

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 27

Accipiter sp. (UA) 3

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 1

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 29

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 1

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 27

Buteo sp. (UB) 10

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 3173

Eagle sp. (UE) 6

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 3

MERLIN (MERL) 5

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 4

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 7

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 6

Falco sp. (UF) 3

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 2

TOTAL 3569

Wednesday, November 1 NO OBSERVATION (weather). (Joel Duncan, assisted by Patrick Farley). Snow all day and the mountains were obscured apart from a brief appearance of the summit of Mount Lorette. Joel and Pat left the site at 1400 when it became apparent that no improvement could be expected.

Vicki Ridge NO OBSERVATION (weather). Snow all day that obscured all ridges.

Steeples NO OBSERVATION

Thursday, November 2 NO OBSERVATION (weather). Heavy snow all day, mountains obscured.

Vicki Ridge NO OBSERVATION (weather). Heavy snow all day that obscured the ridge.

Steeples NO OBSERVATION (weather). Snow all day that obscured all ridges.

Friday, November 3 NO OBSERVATION (weather). Snow stopped in the afternoon but ridges remained partly obscured and driving to the site was not advisable. The count will probably resume tomorrow.

Vicki Ridge NO OBSERVATION (weather). Snow persisted to early afternoon when the ridges cleared but heavy snow prevented access to the site. I hope to resume the count tomorrow.

Steeples [Day 33] (Vance Mattson) 1130-1800. The site was covered in 30cm of snow and the ridges were entirely obscured when Vance arrived at the site at 1130. It was -6C and calm, and by 1330 it was apparent that the cloud was not going to lift so he moved away from the mountain ridges to see if migration was occurring over the valley which was probable as the last two days had been almost a steady barrage of snow accompanied by poor visibility.           It was not until he arrived at Wasa, however, at 1400, that the first migrants were seen with 4 Bald Eagles and 2 Golden Eagles soaring over the Kootenay River, followed by an Osprey and 6 more eagles before 1500. The next hour saw 10 migrants, and the hour between 1600 and 1700 saw 27 migrants. The last migrants, 4 adult Bald Eagles, all moved between 1700 and 1706.           The final total of 54, which is the second-highest of the season, was 1 Osprey, a season high count of 38 Bald Eagles (20a, 1sa, 17j), 3 Northern Harriers (2 adult females, 1j), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 10 Golden Eagles (5a, 2sa, 3j. The migrants initially soared at length either over the low ridges just west of the Kootenay River or directly above it; however, from 1630 onward the migrants consistently flapped their way south either over the river or just east of it.           All migration, however, was concentrated over the river area, with no migrants passing over Wasa Lake, which is situated just east of the river. The ridges of the Rockies were heavily obscured during the entire observation period.           The temperature rose to a high of -2C, calm conditions prevailed all day and the skies were 60% altostratus, altocumulus, and lenticular that gave providing partially sunny conditions. A single adult Bald Eagle constituted the only non-migrant seen.

6.5 hours (154.5) OSPR 1 (7), BAEA 38 (247), RLHA 2 (12), GOEA 10 (120) TOTAL 54 (563)

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (September 20 to November 15)

DAYS 38

HOURS 416.6

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 2

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 150

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 6

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 81

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 18

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 27

Accipiter sp. (UA) 3

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 1

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 29

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 1

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 26

Buteo sp. (UB) 10

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 3172

Eagle sp. (UE) 6

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 3

MERLIN (MERL) 5

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 4

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 7

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 6

Falco sp. (UF) 3

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 2

TOTAL 3542

Tuesday, October 31 [Day 39] (Blake Weis, assisted by Lori Anderson) 0830-1710. The temperature reached a high of 7C between 1300 and 1600 from a morning low of 2C, and it was 4C at the end of observation. Ground winds were mainly SW 0-5 gusting 15 km/h to 1300 after which they were SE-SW 5-15 gusting 25 km/h, while ridge winds were NW all day, light to 1300 then moderate. Cloud cover was 90-100% altostratus and cumulus with minor cirrus and altocumulus to 1200, then 100% altostratus and cumulus for the rest of the day that brought light rain after 1300 and moderate rain and snow as the observers were leaving. All ridges were clear to 1400 when the west rapidly disappeared in cloud but the east was 10% obscured that only gradually increased to 90% at the end of observation. There was a moderate raptor movement of 25 birds involving 3 species that migrated between 1042 and 1356 comprising 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 20 adult Golden Eagles. Fifteen of the birds were seen between 1100 and 1500. Only 3 birds, 2 Bald and 1 Golden Eagle, moved on the western route, all between 1000 and 1100, and the rest moved from Mount Lorette to the Fisher Range with about half the birds arriving at the northern end of the range about one binocular width above the ridge. A northward-bound adult Bald Eagle was regarded as a non-migrant, and 2 adult Northern Goshawks soaring near the site at 1330 were probably the resident pair. There was a good variety of other bird species that included 1 male Belted Kingfisher, 2 Northern Shrikes (1j 1u), 1 male Mountain Bluebird, 4 Bohemian Waxwings, 5 Pine Grosbeaks, 4 Red Crossbills, 3 White-winged Crossbills, 73 Common Redpolls and 4 Pine Siskins. A female Moose with a calf crossed the river to the east bank and 32 Elk browsed on the bare slopes of the ski hill. The 17 visitors today included 14 from Robert Thirsk High School in Calgary.

9.67 hours (426.3) BAEA 4 (154), RLHA 1 (27), GOEA 20 (3172) TOTAL 25 (3567)

Lorette October Summary (October 01-31), with variances to 1993-2016 averages (excluding 1997, 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008) Days 29 (-3.3%), Hours 305.7 (-3.7%) Turkey Vulture 0, Osprey 1 (+81.8%), Bald Eagle 126 (-12.01%), Northern Harrier 4 (-24.5%), Sharp-shinned Hawk 37 (-51.1%), Cooper’s Hawk 9 (-13.9%), Northern Goshawk 17 (-42.3%), Broad-winged Hawk 0 (-100%), Swainson’s Hawk 0 (-100%), Red-tailed Hawk 14 (-0.4%), Ferruginous Hawk 1 (+566.7%), Rough-legged Hawk 24 (-43%), Golden Eagle 2896 (+3.6%), American Kestrel 3 (+252.9%), Merlin 3 (-34.1%), Gyrfalcon 4 (+166.7%), Peregrine Falcon 4 (+17.6%), Prairie Falcon 6 (+400%), UA 2 (-36.5%), UB 8 (+240.3%), UE 4 (+40.4%), UF 3 (+140%), UU 1 (-56.5%), TOTAL 3167 (+0.69%)

Vicki Ridge [Day 40] (Peter Sherrington) 0930-1730 (Observation from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge). The temperature at 0930 was 2C, rose to a high of 6C at 1400 and 1500 and was 5C at the end of observation. Winds were W 30-50 gusting 60-70 km/h all day and cloud cover was 70-80% lenticular, altostratus, and cumulus to 1300 after which it was 100% altostratus with minor cumulus and lenticular for the rest of the day. There was a surprisingly strong raptor migration of 67 birds of 5 species between 0946 and 1722 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (4a, 1sa, 2j), 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1u), 1 adult dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawk, 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 54 Golden Eagles (46a, 4sa, 4j). Movement was steady between 1000 and 1500 but became sporadic after 1500 when only a further 8 birds were counted. Maximum Golden Eagle movement was 13 birds between 1437 and 1505. Forty-six birds moved to the south high over Vicki Ridge and 21 were over the east arm of Kyllo Ridge. Other birds were scarce but included 46 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 1 Pine Grosbeak and 3 Common Redpolls.

8 hours (332.8) BAEA 7 (197), NOGO 3 (98), RTHA 1 (234), RLHA 2 (487). GOEA 54 (1806) TOTAL 67 (3841)

Vicki Ridge October Summary (October 01-31), with 2016 totals in parenthesis. 29 days, (21 days), 242 hours (131 hours) Turkey Vulture 0 (0), Osprey 4 (0), Bald Eagle 186 (90), Northern Harrier 10 (7), Sharp-shinned Hawk 382 (229), Cooper’s Hawk 46 (13), Northern Goshawk 65 (45), Broad-winged Hawk 19 (4), Swainson’s Hawk 0 (0), Red-tailed Hawk 164 (64), Ferruginous Hawk 2 (1), Rough-legged Hawk 486 (203), Golden Eagle 1694 (790), American Kestrel 5 (1), Merlin 9 (12), Gyrfalcon 2 (0), Peregrine Falcon 10 (9), Prairie Falcon 4 (3), UA 5 (2), UB 16 (1), UE 14 (11), UF 2 (0), UU 0 (0) TOTAL 3125 (1476)

Steeples [Day 32] (Vance Mattson) 1130-1615. The temperature was -2C at 1130, warmed to 5C, but dropped to 3C by 1600. It was calm and the sky was a 90-100% blanket of altostratus and darker cumulus cloud.           It looks like it will snow for the next few days. The only raptor seen was a light morph Rough-legged Hawk at 1145 and no non-migrants were seen that added to the almost eerie quietness of the day.

4.75 hours (148) RLHA 1 (10) TOTAL 1 (509)

Steeples October Summary (October 01-31) 25 days (115.5 hours), (21 days) Turkey Vulture 0, Osprey 4, Bald Eagle 178, Northern Harrier 7, Sharp-shinned Hawk 17, Cooper’s Hawk 0, Northern Goshawk 7, Broad-winged Hawk 1, Swainson’s Hawk 0, Red-tailed Hawk 11, Ferruginous Hawk 0, Rough-legged Hawk 10, Golden Eagle 94, American Kestrel 2, Merlin 1, Gyrfalcon 0, Peregrine Falcon 1, Prairie Falcon 0, UA 0, UB 1, UE 1, UF 0, UU 0 TOTAL 509

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (September 20 to November 15)

DAYS 38

HOURS 416.6

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 2

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 150

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 6

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 81

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 18

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 27

Accipiter sp. (UA) 3

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 1

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 29

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 1

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 26

Buteo sp. (UB) 10

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 3152

Eagle sp. (UE) 6

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 3

MERLIN (MERL) 5

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 4

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 7

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 6

Falco sp. (UF) 3

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 2

TOTAL 3542