NOTE: CHANGE TO DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

March 12 [Day 11] (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson) 0735-2005. The starting temperature was -17C, rose to a high of -3C and was 8C when observation ceased at 2005. Ground winds were NNE 2-5 gusting 13km/h all day and ridge winds were moderate SW creating some snow pluming. Initial cloud cover was 100% stratus that diminished to 60-70% between 0900 and 1100 and was thereafter 80-100% cumulus and stratus for the rest of the day. The only precipitation was occasional light to very light snow flurries. The east ridges were clear all day and the west was only obscured up to 10%. These favourable conditions produced the highest count so far this season with 104 migrants of 3 species moving between 0952 and 1833. The count was 11 Bald Eagles (7a, 2sa, 1j and 1 undifferentiated immature bird), the season’s first Red-tailed Hawk, an adult dark morph calurus, and a season high 92 Golden Eagles (65a, 4sa, 2j, 21u). Apart from the Red-tailed Hawk and a few Bald Eagles all birds glided high from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette, although the 3 Golden Eagles seen before noon were first located over Mount Lorette. A few birds soared at the northern end of the Fisher Range late in the day before gliding to Lorette. Maximum movement was 1300-1400 when 31 raptors were seen: 2 Bald Eagles and 29 Golden Eagles. Twenty-two moved between 1400 and 1500 and 23 between 1500 and 1600 but only 14 birds were recorded between 1600 and 1833. A resident adult Golden Eagle displayed briefly over Mount Lorette at 1600. Few other birds were seen, but an American Dipper flew fairly high to the west from the river to Troll Falls at 1922.

13.67 hours (107.1) BAEA 11 (43), RTHA 1 (1), GOEA 92 (176) TOTAL 104 (230)

Beaver Mines [Day 15] (Peter Sherrington) 0800-1830. The weather forecast called for a high of 1C and moderate west winds but the reality was not exactly as advertised. The temperature at 0800 was -18C, the high was -10C at 1200 and at 1830 it had fallen to -13.5C. Winds were light westerly 0-8 km/h to 1100, but were E for the rest of the day 5-15 km/h, although there was a light W flow above the ridge in the late afternoon. Cloud cover was stratus, altocumulus and cumulus to 1000 after which it thinned to 70% to 1230 and was then 100% mainly uniform stratus for the rest of the day. There were brief light snow flurries in the late afternoon but the ridge was clear all day, as were the mountain ridges to the west until late afternoon. Although the day’s total of 26 was the first significant movement since March 6 and the second highest total of the season, it was disappointing in the light of the counts today at Mount Lorette and Steeples. All the birds flapped continuously as the migrated low to the NW and rare attempts to soar or kite to gain altitude were thwarted by the weather conditions. The flight comprised a season high 13 Bald Eagles (7a, 6j), 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk and 12 Golden Eagles (11a, 1sa). The day was neatly summed up by the last bird, a juvenile Bald Eagle at 1745 that moved low from the SE, unsuccessfully tried for 5 minutes to soar before flapping heavily to a Douglas Fir near the crest of the ridge where it perched for the rest of the day. The highlight of the day, however, came at 1807 when a Greater White-fronted Goose flew to the SW over the valley in the company of 2 Canada Geese to provide the first March record of the species for the area.

10.5 hours (98.58) BAEA 13 (40), RLHA 1 (9) GOEA 12 (96) TOTAL 26 (155)

Steeples [Day 4] (Vance Mattson) 1200-1830. Observation was again from the Bull Mountain site where the temperature was 8C, winds were light to moderate SW and cloud cover was 90-100% stratus that draped the highest peaks to 1600 after which the mountains were completely clear. The day saw a significant movement of 94 raptors comprising 30 Bald Eagles (17a, 2sa, 11j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 61 Golden Eagles (55a, 3sa, 3j) and 2 unidentified eagles. After 9 Golden Eagles were seen between 1200 and 1300, 36 birds (16 Bald Eagles, 1 Rough-legged Hawk and 19 Golden Eagles) moved between 1300 and 1400. The pace slowed over the next two hours with 12 and 9 eagles counted respectively before increasing to 18 between 1600 and 1700. The last 1.5 hours saw movement of 10 more eagles with the last, an adult Golden Eagle, flying high above Bull Mountain at 1820. The eagles generally moved at a slow pace at medium altitude across the face of Bull Mountain, often soaring over the NW flank of the mountain; a kettle of 11 birds was seen there at 1330. After 1630 when the ridges were clear and the wind increased from light to moderate, the movement was higher. Resident birds of both eagle species were seen on occasion, and one of the resident Golden Eagles performed a brief display flight. The first American Robins of the year were also seen.

6.5 hours (16) BAEA 30 (31), RLHA 1 (1), GOEA 61 (66), UE 2 (2) TOTAL 94 (100)

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (March 1 to April 22)

DAYS 11

HOURS 107.1

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 0

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 43

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 0

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 0

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 0

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 0

Accipiter sp. (UA) 0

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 0

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 1

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 0

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 4

Buteo sp. (UB) 1

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 176

Eagle sp. (UE) 4

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 0

MERLIN (MERL) 1

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 0

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 0

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 0

Falco sp. (UF) 0

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 0

TOTAL 230

March 11 [Day 10] (Jim Davis, assisted by Ruth Morrow) 0730-1630. The starting temperature was a rather bracing -25C but it rose to -11C at 1400 and was -12C at the end of observation. It was calm in the valley to 0900 after which ground winds were light E for the rest of the morning and NW-NNW 8-13 gusting 18 km/h in the afternoon, while ridge winds were moderate W all day. Cloud cover was 50% cumulus to noon that increased to 80% to 1400, after which it thickened to 100% altostratus and cumulus that brought snow for the last 45 minutes of observation. The eastern ridges were clear to 1500 after which they gradually clouded over to 50% and 100% at the end of observation, while the west was 20-30% occluded to 1600 and by 1700 was 100% obscured. Raptor movement was by far the strongest of the season with a total of 94 birds of 4 species migrating between 1208 and 1606. The flight comprised 17 Bald Eagles (14a, 1sa, 1j, 1u), 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 1 dark morph unidentified Buteo, 68 Golden Eagles (44a, 3sa, 1j, 15u), 4 unidentified eagles and 1u columbarius Merlin that flew low to the north above the Hay Meadow. Only 3 birds moved on the western route, and to 1416 the others migrated from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette after which they originated in the Wasootch Creek area and moved to Lorette. Twenty-five migrants (11 Golden Eagles) were seen between 1400 and 1500, 39 (25 Golden Eagles) between 1500 and 1600 and 6 Golden Eagles between 1600 and 1606 as the snowfall became more intense. Two non-migrant adult Bald Eagles perched before flying south above the river, and other birds were 2 Northern Pygmy-Owls, 6 ravens, 1 Dark-eyed Junco and 36 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches in flocks of 30 and 6. Only 2 visitors on snowshoes braved the cold and reached the site today.

9 hours (93.42) BAEA 17 (32), RLHA 3 (4), UB 1 (1), GOEA 68 (84), UE 4 (4), MERL 1 (1) TOTAL 94 (126)

Beaver Mines [Day 14] (Peter Sherrington) 0750-1810. The temperature was -22C at 0700 but had risen to -18C at the start of observation, reached a high of -10C at 1200 and was -13.5C at 1810. Winds were light or calm for most of the day, W in the morning and E in the afternoon that increased to 15 km/h after 1700 bringing light snow. Cloud cover was 100% thin altostratus, cumulus and altocumulus to 1000, 70% altostratus and cumulus to 1200 and 100% stratus throughout the afternoon. The ridge was clear all day until it was finally obscured by snow at 1810 and observing conditions were generally good. The mountain ridges to the SW were clear until 1530. It was another disappointing day of migration, probably owing the very light winds, and the only migrants recorded were a light morph Rough-legged Hawk at 1419, a late subadult Bald Eagle at 1619 and an adult Bald Eagle at 1713. By way of compensation 17 other bird species were seen including 30 Canada Geese, 18 Trumpeter Swans, 1 Killdeer, and 251 European Starlings in several small flocks, all of which flew to the SW above the valley (the swans and Killdeer were first records for the year). Other birds in the yard included a Northern Shrike, 7 Dark-eyed Juncos of 3 subspecies (1 hyemalis, 2 cismontanus and 4 montanus), 50 Evening Grosbeaks and 50 Pine Siskins.

10.33 hours (88.08) BAEA 2 (27), RLHA 1 (8) TOTAL 3 (129)

Steeples [Day 3] (Vance Mattson) 1230-1630. Observation was from the Bull Mountain site where the temperature was 7C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 100% stratus that covered the ridges and produced rain from 1500 to 1630. Despite the conditions 6 migrant raptors were seen: 1 adult Bald Eagle and 5 Golden Eagles (5a, 1j), and non-migrant birds were conspicuous comprising 8 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa, 1j) and 4 Golden Eagles (2a, 2j). Seven of these birds, 6 Bald and 1 Golden Eagle, soared in a kettle over the Pickering Hills just south of Bull Mountain from 1330 to 1415. The resident Golden Eagle pair was seen once and two resident juvenile Golden Eagles, possibly siblings, were seen on a couple of occasions.

4 hours (9.5) BAEA 1 (1), GOEA 5 (5) TOTAL 6 (6)

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (March 1 to April 22)

DAYS 10

HOURS 93.42

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 0

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 32

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 0

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 0

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 0

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 0

Accipiter sp. (UA) 0

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 0

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 0

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 0

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 4

Buteo sp. (UB) 1

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 84

Eagle sp. (UE) 4

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 0

MERLIN (MERL) 1

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 0

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 0

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 0

Falco sp. (UF) 0

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 0

TOTAL 126

March 8 [Day 7] (Joel Duncan, assisted by Caroline Lambert) 0800-1700. The temperature at the start of observation was -17C, rose to a high of -13C between 1300 and 1600 and was -14C at 1700. Ground winds were NE all day, light to 1000 and then 10-20 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were SW-W light to moderate to 1400 after which they were strong producing blowing snow from the west ridges. There was 1 cm of fresh snow on arrival and cloud cover was initially 100% stratus with light snow that had stopped by 0900. The rest of the morning had 60% cumulus and stratus that diminished to 20-30% to 1500 producing periods that the fresh snow made “blindingly bright”; after 1500 the cloud thickened to 80% and brought very light snow again. The west was 100% obscured all day, as was the east to 1000 after which is was an average of 50% obscured for the rest of the day. Thick cloud was also present to the south all day. Only 2 migrants were seen: a juvenile Golden Eagle that flew low to the north in front of the Fisher Range at 1137 followed by an adult using the same path at 1158. The only other birds seen at the site were 2 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees and 1 American Dipper.

9 hours (67.34) GOEA 2 (11) TOTAL 2 (15)

Beaver Mines [Day 11] (Peter Sherrington) 1100-1330. The temperature ranged from -13C to a high of –9C, winds were light SE and cloud cover was 100% stratus bringing light and occasionally heavy snow. Even though the ridge was occasionally visible no migrants were seen, although the Northern Saw-whet Owl was again hunting in the garden during a heavy snowfall at 1320.

2.5 hours (71.75) TOTAL 0 (126)

Steeples (Vance Mattson) No observation.

March 9 [Day 8] (Jim Davis, assisted by Rick Robb) 0740-1530. It was another cold day with an initial temperature of -26C that rose to -14C at 1300 where it remained for the rest of the observation period. Ground winds were E-ENE 15-20 km/h, becoming N after 1500, while ridge winds appeared to be light E all day. Cloud cover was 10-20% cumulus to 1100, 40% altostratus and cirrostratus to 1400 after which it was 100% broken stratus that brought snow after 1500. Both east and west ridges were mainly clear to 1300 after which they began to cloud over and all ridges were obscured by 1500. The relatively clear conditions produced the highest count of the season so far with 17 raptors migrating between 1305 and 1436, 6 of which moved on the western ridges and 11 on the Fisher Range to the east. The count was 11 Bald Eagles (8a, 2j, 1u), the season’s first Rough-legged Hawk, a dark morph, and 5 Golden Eagles (4a, 1sa). Seven of the birds moved between 1305 and 1400, and 10 between 1400 and 1436, and appeared to be running ahead of the gathering snowstorm. The only other birds seen were 1 Common Goldeneye, 4 Common Ravens and the season’s first 2 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

7.83 hours (75.17) BAEA 11 (15), RLHA 1 (1), GOEA 5 (16 TOTAL 17 (32)

Beaver Mines No observation. The temperature ranged from -26C to -18C, winds were light E-ESE all day and light snow fell for much of the day.

Steeples (Vance Mattson) No observation.

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (March 1 to April 22)

DAYS 8

HOURS 75.17

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 0

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 15

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 0

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 0

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 0

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 0

Accipiter sp. (UA) 0

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 0

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 0

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 0

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 1

Buteo sp. (UB) 0

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 16

Eagle sp. (UE) 0

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 0

MERLIN (MERL) 0

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 0

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 0

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 0

Falco sp. (UF) 0

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 0

TOTAL 32

March 10 [Day 9] (Blake Weis, assisted by Heinz Unger) 0700-1615. The temperature was -20C at 0700, rose to a high of -14C at 1400 and 1500 and was -15C when the count was abandoned at 1615. Ground winds were N-NE, light to 1000 and then 5-10 gusting to 20 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were moderate W that became strong after 1500. Cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1200, dropped to 80% with minor cumulus at 1300 and 1400 and was 90% after 1500. The Fisher Range was 90-100% obscured to 1100 after which it was variably occluded 30-70% and was again 90% obscured after 1500. The west was 100% obscured with the exception of 1200-1400 when it was 50-70% obscured. Moderate snow fell to 1300 that left a further 3-4 cm on the ground, then light snow persisted for the rest of the day. No migrant or resident raptors were seen and the only birds recorded were 3 Common Ravens and an American Dipper!

9.25 hours (84.42) TOTAL 0 (32)

Beaver Mines [Day 12] (Peter Sherrington) 1230-1830. The temperature at 1230 was -13C, reached a high of -12.5C at 1400 but then quickly dropped to -15C and was -16C after 1700. Winds were E-ESE all day, mainly light but reaching 15 km/h on occasion. Cloud cover was 100% stratus with the exception of 1755-1815 when it reduced to 90% during the only period in the day when snow stopped falling. The ridge was periodically visible but was only completely clear between 1730 and 1825. No migrants were seen, but a non-migrant dark morph Rough-legged Hawk flew to the SW at 1542.

6 hours (77.75) TOTAL 0 (126)

Steeples [Day 2] (Vance Mattson) 1400-1530. Overnight snow left 10cm on the ground and overcast conditions persisted until 1400 when observation began from near the Bill Nye site as the road is still blocked by snow. The ridges partially cleared but no migrant or resident raptors were seen. Yesterday the first two Red-tailed Hawks of the year were seen in the Rocky Mountain Trench: first sightings for the area are usually in February.

1.5 hours (5.5) TOTAL 0 (0)

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (March 1 to April 22)

DAYS 9

HOURS 84.42

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 0

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 15

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 0

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 0

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 0

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 0

Accipiter sp. (UA) 0

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 0

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 0

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 0

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 1

Buteo sp. (UB) 0

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 16

Eagle sp. (UE) 0

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 0

MERLIN (MERL) 0

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 0

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 0

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 0

Falco sp. (UF) 0

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 0

TOTAL 32

March 7 [Day 6] (Brian McBride, assisted by Fred Bowen) 0730-1730. The temperature was a numbing -25C at 0730 but rose to a high of -6C at 1400 and 1500 before falling to -9C at 1730. Ground winds were NW all day, light to 1400 and 5-20 km/h after, while ridge winds were moderate W all day causing blowing snow on the western ridges. Cloud cover was cumulus and stratus all day, 10-20% in the morning and 30-60% in the afternoon, and although there was deep snow on the ground no fresh snow fell today. The ridges were clear all day except for a brief 30% occlusion of the western ridges around 1500. Despite the apparent favourable migration and observing conditions no migrant raptors were seen, and the only birds seen were 2 Grey Jays and 3 Common Ravens. Much more common were visitors with a total of 33 making it to the site today including a party of 27 students and staff from Crescent Heights High School in Calgary.

10 hours (58.34) TOTAL 0 (13)

Beaver Mines [Day 11] (Peter Sherrington) 1000-1800. There was dense fog in the valley that did not clear until 0950 after which the ridge was clear all day. The temperature at the start of observation at 1000 was -10C that briefly rose to a high of -6C at 1200 and was -10C at 1800. Winds were E-ESE all day, 10-20 gusting 30 km/h and cloud cover was 90-50% cumulus with minor stratus to 1630 that gave hazy sunshine, after which uniform stratus developed. Although observing conditions were ideal, the east winds, and possible snowfall to the south were not conducive to migration and no migrant raptors were seen. The highlight of the day, however, was a Northern Saw-whet Owl that I first saw flying in my yard at 0930 and it subsequently perched and hunted there until 1710. During this time it caught and ate at least one White-footed Mouse and made other unsuccessful vertical hunting plunges from aspen branch perches. It was quite confiding and I managed to take 57 very good photographs of it under excellent light conditions. “Fortunately” with a total absence of migrants I had plenty of time on my hands!

8 hours (69.25) TOTAL 0 (126)

Steeples (Vance Mattson) No observation.

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (March 1 to April 22)

DAYS 6

HOURS 58.34

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 0

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 4

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 0

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 0

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 0

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 0

Accipiter sp. (UA) 0

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 0

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 0

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 0

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 0

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 0

Buteo sp. (UB) 0

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 9

Eagle sp. (UE) 0

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 0

MERLIN (MERL) 0

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 0

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 0

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 0

Falco sp. (UF) 0

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 0

TOTAL 13