Sunday, November 04 Mount Lorette [Day 42] 0655-1725 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson). Both the starting and finishing temperatures were 6C and the high was 9C at 1300. Ground winds were SW all day, 2-15 km/h that gusted up to 36 km/h at 1100, and ridge winds were strong WSW to 0900 and then moderate to strong W for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was initially 40% cumulus and stratus, was then 70-90% cumulus to 1330 and was 80-100% cumulus and stratus for the rest of the day. The eastern ridges were clear all day and the west was 0-20% obscured apart from 1400 when it was 70% obscured and generated light snow flurries. Although migration conditions appeared to be reasonable only 6 migrants were seen between 0912 and 1539 that comprised 1 juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk and 5 Golden Eagles (4a, 1u). One or two adult Bald Eagles and an adult Northern Goshawk were considered to be resident or non-migrant birds. Other birds seen were a flock of 44 Canada Geese that flew high to the south at 1706, 3 female Common Mergansers on the river, 4 Canada Jays, 38 Common Ravens, 2 American Robins that flew to the south, 1 American Dipper and 20 Bohemian Waxwings. Nineteen visitors were at the site today.

10.5 hours (438.6) SSHA 1 (67), GOEA 5 (2577) TOTAL 6 (2986)

Sunday, November 04 Vicki Ridge [Day 39] 0730-1645 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). The day started dramatically with rain and sleet driven by 80 km/h WNW winds which stopped at 0800 and there was no further significant precipitation. The temperature at 0800 was 3C, the high was 7C at 1100, 1300 and 1500 that coincided with sunny periods with moderate cumulus cloud cover that alternated with bands of dark thick stratocumulus cloud that periodically moved from the west. After 1500 there was only 10% cumulus cloud cover until the end of observation when the temperature was 3C and cloud thickened to 60% and produced spectacular sunset colours. After 0800 winds were strong W-WSW 40-50 gusting to 60-80 km/h all day. Raptor movement was sparse and very sporadic with 17 migrants of 6 species seen between 0812 and 1620 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa), 2 Northern Goshawks (1a, 1u), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 8 Golden Eagles (7a, 1j), 1 white morph adult Gyrfalcon and 2 male Prairie Falcons. The maximum hourly count was only 4 birds between 1400 and 1500. Other birds seen included 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 130 Bohemian Waxwings, 200 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 36 Pine Siskins.

9.25 hours (351.7) BAEA 3 (344), NOGO 2 (95), RLHA 1 (426), GOEA 8 (2542), GYRF 1 (5), PRFA 2 (7) TOTAL 17 (4435)

Sunday, November 04 Steeples [Day 41] 1130-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 8C and winds were initially moderate SW but became calm by 1500. Cloud cover was initially 100% altostratus, stratus and cumulus that produced light rain between 1330 and 1430, after which it gradually cleared and by 1600 it was 20% cumulus and sunny. The day produced 8 migrants of 3 species between 1158 and 1656 which is the highest count at the site since October 19. The flight comprised 5 Bald Eagles (2a, 3j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk and 2 adult Golden Eagles. Five of the birds were seen before 1217. A resident Golden Eagle soared above the ridge before gliding to the northwest into the valley at 1150.

5.5 hours (180) BAEA 5 (101), NOGO 1 (7), GOEA 2 (154) TOTAL 8 (446)

Saturday, November 03 Mount Lorette [Day 41] 0835-1800 (Blake Weis, assisted by Cliff Hansen). The temperature was 0C at the start but rose to 7C between 1400 and 1700 and was 6C at 1800. Ground winds were SW all day, 0-5 gusting 10-18 km/h, and ridge winds were moderate SW all day. Cloud cover was 100% altocumulus, altostratus, cirrostratus, cirrus and cumulus for most of the day except between 1400 and 1700 when it was 80% of the same cloud mix without the cirrostratus. The ridges were clear all day. A total of 29 migrant raptors of 3 species were seen between 1015 and 1642 that comprised 1j Bald Eagle, 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk and 27 Golden Eagles (16a, 1sa, 10u). Eight of the Golden Eagles were seen between 1015 and 1100 and a further 7 between 1300 and 1400. Most eagles were seen gliding probably from Mount Lorette into the upper face of the northern end of the Fisher Range from where they rapidly kited high before gliding high to the SE above the Fisher Range ridge. Other birds noted were 1 Canada Goose heard calling, 20 Mallards flying south above the Fisher Range, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 4 Canada Jays, 8 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 2 Brown Creepers, 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 15 Bohemian Waxwings, 22 White-winged Crossbills, 55 Common Redpolls, 14 Pine Siskins and 9 Dark-eyed Juncos. Thirty-two visitors came to the site today.

9.58 hours (428.1) BAEA 1 (165), SSHA 1 (66), GOEA 29 (2572) TOTAL 29 (2980)

Saturday, November 03 Vicki Ridge [Day 38] 0845-1745 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson after 1500, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). The temperature at 0900 was 3C, the high at 1200 was 7C and it was 4C at 1745. Winds were W-WSW all day 30-50 gusting 60 km/h, and cloud cover was 100-60% altostratus, altocumulus and lenticular in the morning and 100-80% altostratus and cumulus in the afternoon that produced occasional very light rain showers. A total of 42 migrants of 5 species moved between 1015 and 1730 comprising 11 Bald Eagles (2a, 2sa, 5j, 2u), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 adult dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawk, 7 Rough-legged Hawks (5 light, 2 dark) and 22 Golden Eagles (19a, 2sa, 1u). The highest hourly count was 13 (1300-1400). I was joined between 1100 and 1330 by 12 members of the Lethbridge College Chapter of the Wildlife Society who were able to see 22 of the day’s migrants under excellent observing conditions. Other birds seen included 1 male Hairy Woodpecker, 1a Northern Shrike, 3 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 55 Bohemian Waxwings, 275 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 3 Cassin’s Finches and 84 Pine Siskins.

9 hours (342.4) BAEA 11 (341), SSHA 1 (627), RTHA 1 (174), RLHA 7 (425), GOEA 22 (2534) TOTAL 42 (4418)

Saturday, November 03 Steeples [Day 40] 1330-1800 (Vance Mattson, assisted by Virginia Rasch). Cloud cover on the ridges was clearing by 1330 when Vance arrived at the site at 1330 when the temperature was 5C with strong S winds. By 1600, however, the temperature was 9C, it was calm and cloud cover was 60% altostratus and altocumulus that gave intermittent sunny periods, but increased to 100% altostratus and dark cumulus at 1800. Seven migrants, 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1j) and 3 adult Golden Eagles, were counted between 1358 and 1624 although 6 of these moved between 1542 and 1624. A resident Golden Eagle hunted along the ridges from 1335-1400.

4.5 hours (174.5) BAEA 4 (96), GOEA 3 (152) TOTAL 7 (438)

Thursday, November 01 Mount Lorette [Day 39] 0830-1815 (Joel Duncan, assisted by Lori Anderson). The starting temperature was 0C the high was 4C from 1400-1700 and it was 3C at the end of observation. Ground winds were E-NE 2-5 km/h to 1500 after which they were 4-8 occasionally gusting to 14 km/h, while ridge winds were SW all day, strong to 1600 and then moderate. Cloud cover was initially 80% stratus and cumulus which reduced to 20-30% between 1000 and 1200 and gradually increased throughout the afternoon to 80% cumulus, altocumulus and altostratus by the end. The eastern ridges were initially 40% obscured but were clear after 1000, and the west was initially 100% obscured that dropped to 20% at 1000 and was then clear for the rest of the day. There was 0.5 cm of fresh snow on the ground at the start but there was no further precipitation. A total of 16 eagles were seen between 1145 and 1720 that comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 13 Golden Eagles (6a, 3sa, 4u) and 1 unidentified eagle. All birds moved on the eastern route with most birds initially located at the northern end of the Fisher Range and most birds employed flapping flight. Maximum hourly counts were 4 from 1500 to 1600 and again from 1600 to 1700. A non-migrant adult Bald Eagle perched by the river and a resident adult Northern Goshawk soared above the Hay Meadow. Other birds seen were 1 Northern Flicker, 20 Bohemian Waxwings, a single flock of 200 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 5 White-winged Crossbills, a remarkable single flock of 23 Cassin’s Finches, 30 Common Redpolls which were the first of the season and 2 Swamp Sparrows. There were 7 visitors today.

9.75 hours (409) BAEA 2 (163), GOEA 13 (2529), UE 1 (30) TOTAL 16 (2933)

Thursday, November 01 Vicki Ridge [Day 36] 0815-1745 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Gord Petersen observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite. The temperature at 0830 was 0C and the high was 5C at 1700 and 1745. Winds were calm or light all day, SW-W to 1600 and then ESE for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100-70% generally thin cumulus, stratocumulus and altostratus that allowed hazy sunshine to 1330 when 100% dark stratocumulus moved from the west and gave gloomy conditions for the rest of the day. The calm conditions produced the lowest full-day count of the season with only 15 birds of 2 species seen between 1044 and 1730: 10 Rough-legged Hawks (8 light morphs, 2u) and 5 Golden Eagles (4a, 1sa). By 1600 only 7 birds had been counted but each of the final 2 hours produced 4 birds that were seen soaring to the south of the site after they had glided low from behind the east side of Vicki Ridge. Gord watched at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge near the Waterton 68 wellsite between 1355 and 1520 but only saw a single Rough-legged Hawk that had also been observed soaring over the eastern edge of Kyllo Ridge a couple of minutes earlier. A mixed flock of 12a Tundra and 2a Trumpeter Swans flew high to the west at 1737 and a flock of 50 Canada Geese flew high to the west at 1225. At 1325 a high-flying adult Northern Shrike selected a single Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch from a small flock and pursued it to the north and had almost caught up with it when both birds disappeared behind trees. Other birds seen included 8 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 120 Bohemian Waxwings, 245 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 3 Red Crossbills and 193 Pine Siskins.

9.25 hours (327.1) RLHA 10 (412), GOEA 5 (2495) TOTAL 15 (4337)

Thursday, November 01 Steeples [Day 38] 1200-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 6C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 100% altostratus and dark grey cumulus that obscured the front face of Mount Bill Nye, but the main migration ridge remained clear. Just 2 migrants were noted: an adult Golden Eagle at 1332 and an adult Bald eagle at 1338, and no resident birds were seen.

5.5 hours (165.3) BAEA 1 (92), GOEA 1 (145) TOTAL 2 (427)

Friday, November 02 Mount Lorette [Day 40] 0900-1830 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Joel Duncan). The temperature at 0900 was 5C, the high at 1400 was 10C and it was 4C at 1830. Ground winds were SW 0-5 km/h to 1200 then variable gusting to 20 km/h to 1400 after which they were N 0-10 gusting 20 for the rest of the day; ridge winds were strong all day, SW to 1000, NW to 1500 and NNW to the end. Cloud cover was 80-100% mainly cumulus and altostratus all day that produced 20-minute light rain showers around 1500 and 1600. The eastern ridges were occasionally lightly draped by cloud, but the west was on average 40% obscured all day. A total of 18 migrants of 3 species moved between 1022 and 1752 comprising 1u Bald Eagle, 1u Northern Goshawk and 16 Golden Eagles (5a, 2sa, 1j, 8u). All eagles glided high above the Fisher Range and probably originated from Mount Lorette. Ten birds, all Golden Eagles, were seen before 1200 but afternoon movement was slow and sporadic. An adult Bald Eagle perched on its usual tree by the river, and 2u Northern Goshawks flying high to the west were considered resident. Three unidentified swans flew high towards the north, 3 Common Loons flew high to the south and other birds seen included 1u Northern Shrike, 1 Brown Creeper, 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2 Bohemian Waxwings, 15 White-winged Crossbills, 2 Pine Siskins, and 10 Dark-eyed Juncos that included 2 cismontanus (“Slate-coloured” morphs) and 2 montanus (“Oregon” morphs). Only 4 visitors were seen today.

9.5 hours (418.5) BAEA 1 (164), NOGO 1 (35), GOEA 16 (2545) TOTAL 18 (2951)

Friday, November 02 Vicki Ridge [Day 37] 1140-1800 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). It was a late start as we had to drive back from Calgary. At 1140 the temperature was 8C, the high was 8.5C at 1300 and 1400 and it fell to 5C at 1800. Winds were strong W 40-50 gusting to 80 km/h to 1600 when they moderated and at the end of the day they were light SSE. Cloud cover was 70% altostratus and cumulus that gave sunny periods to 1400 after which it was 100% stratocumulus that produced almost continuous very light rain that only became steady light rain at 1800. There was a fairly steady movement of 39 raptors of 3 species between 1203 and 1746 that comprised 16 Bald Eagles (10a, 1sa, 3j, 1 undifferentiated immature and 1u), 6 Rough-legged Hawks (4 light, 2u) and 17 Golden Eagles (15a, 1sa, 1u). The highest hourly counts were 11 (1300-1400) and 10 (1500-1700). Other birds were relatively scarce in the high winds but included 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 37 Bohemian Waxwings, 100 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 32 Pine Siskins.

6.33 hours (333.4) BAEA 16 (330), RLHA 6 (418), GOEA 17 (2512) TOTAL 39 (4376)

Friday, November 02 Steeples [Day 39] 1315-1800 (Vance Mattson). The morning was rainy and overcast but it began to clear at 1230 although the front face of Mount Bill Nye again remained obscured all day. On arrival the temperature was 12C, winds were moderate S and cloud cover was stratus and cumulus, but by 1600 conditions were calm and 40% cumulus and lenticular cloud cover gave mainly sunny conditions for the rest of the day. A total of 4 migrant Golden Eagles were seen: 2 adults migrating together at 1612 and adult and a juvenile that also migrated together at 1612. The juvenile’s two outer left retrices had been somehow shorn off in a clean line that gave the tail a paddle-like appearance. A non-migrant adult Bald Eagle soared high above the ridges and moved to the north at 1559.

4.75 hours (170) GOEA 4 (149) TOTAL 4 (431)

Wednesday, October 31 Mount Lorette [Day 38] 0830-1840 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Joel Duncan). The temperature at 0830 was 3C, the high was 6C from 1400 to 1700 and it was 5C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW 0-10 gusting 15-20 km/h in mid-afternoon, and ridge winds were strong all day, W to 1400 then NW. Cloud cover was 100% cumulus and altostratus to 1000 that gradually reduced to 70% cumulus at the end of the day. The eastern ridges were clear but the west was occluded to an average of 40% all day. All migrants today were eagles comprising 7 Bald Eagles (4a, 1j, 2u), 29 Golden Eagles (17a, 2j, 10u) and 2 unidentified eagles. The birds moved between 0955 and 1733 and all glided high and fast above the Fisher Range ridge. Movement was steady throughout and the maximum hourly count was 9 Golden Eagles between 1200 and 1300. Other birds seen included a flock of 60 Canada Geese, 3 Northern Pintails flying high to the south, 1 Northern Pygmy-Owl that called early in the morning, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 juvenile Northern Shrike, 15 European Starlings, 75 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 7 White-winged Crossbills, 20 Pine Siskins and 1 Dark-eyed [Oregon] Junco. Thirty-four visitors were at the site today.

10.16 hours (399.2) BAEA 7 (161), GOEA 29 (2516), UE 2 (29) TOTAL 38 (2917)

October summary (variance from 1993-2017 valid counts (20) in parenthesis) DAYS 28 (-6.5%), HOURS 298.5 (-5.8%), TUVU 0, OSPR 0 (-100%), BAEA 149 (+4.7%), NOHA 1 (-81%), SSHA 33 (-55%), COHA 3 (-71.1%), NOGO 20 (-31%), BWHA 0 (-100%), SWHA 1 (+2000%), RTHA 16 (+13.9%), FEHA 0 (-100%), RLHA 28 (-32.1%), GOEA 2243 (-19.9%), AMKE 0 (-100%), MERL 2 (-55.3%), GYRF 2 (-23.5%), PEFA 2 (-41.7%), PRFA 0 (-100%), UA 6 (+93.9%), UB 2 (-24%), UE 22 (+657.4%), UF 3 (+125%), UU 4 (+78.2%) TOTAL 2537 (-19.4%)

Wednesday, October 31 Vicki Ridge [Day 35] 0815-1815 (Peter Sherrington, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite and Gord Petersen observing from the Waterton 68 wellsite, 1340-1750). The temperature was 1C at 0815, the high was 5C at 1500 and 1600 and it was 3C at 1815. Winds were WSW 30-40 gusting 50 km/h reaching 60 km/h around 1600. Cloud cover was 100% cumulus and altostratus to 1530, 70% cumulus at 1600 that dwindled to 10% at the end of observation. Very light snow fell continuously until 1340 but the ridges remained clear and it did not appear to impede migration. Movement was slow and sporadic between 0946 and 1807 but produced a reasonable total of 59 migrants of 4 species. The count was 15 Bald Eagles (12a. 1sa, 1j, 1u), 1 adult male Northern Goshawk, 14 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 28 Golden Eagles (18a, 4sa, 3j, 3u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The total includes 18 migrants seen by Gord Petersen between 1406 and 1739 at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge near the Waterton 68 wellsite that comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 4 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 11 Golden Eagles (5a, 2sa, 3j, 1u) and 1 unidentified eagle. Maximum hourly passage was 13 between 1400 and 1500 that included 10 Golden Eagles and again between 1700 and 1800 that included 8 Rough-legged Hawks. Other birds seen included 1 adult Northern Shrike, 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 305 Bohemian Waxwings in 5 flocks, 290 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches in 5 flocks and 96 Pine Siskins.

10 hours (317.8), BAEA 15 (314), NOGO 1 (93), RLHA 14 (402), GOEA 28 (2490), UE 1 (5) TOTAL 59 (4322)

October summary (last year’s count in parenthesis) DAYS 28 (29), HOURS 253.8 (241.98), TUVU 0 (0), OSPR 3 (4), BAEA 297 (186), NOHA 4 (10), SSHA 362 (382), COHA 40 (46), NOGO 80 (65), BWHA 11 (19), SWHA 0 (0), RTHA 122 (164), FEHA 6 (2), RLHA 392 (486), GOEA 2309 (1694), AMKE 4 (5), MERL 8 (9), GYRF 4 (2), PEFA 4 (10), PRFA 3 (4), UA 7 (5), UB 24 (16), UE 4 (14), UF 1 (2), UU 3 (0) TOTAL 3688 (3125)

Wednesday, October 31 Steeples [Day 37] 1515-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 8C, winds were moderate S, cloud cover was 90% stratus and cumulus and the ridges were partially obscured throughout the observation period. No migrant or resident raptors were seen.

2, 25 hours (159.8) TOTAL 0 (425)

October summary DAYS 27, HOURS 120.8, TUVU 0, OSPR 2, BAEA 75, NOHA 10, SSHA 49, COHA 2, NOGO 6, BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 39, FEHA 0, RLHA 3, GOEA 130, AMKE 2, MERL 2, GYRF 1, PEFA 0, PRFA 0, UA 0, UB 0, UE 2, UF 0, UU 1 TOTAL 324

Tuesday, October 30 Mount Lorette [Day 37] 0830-1830 (Cliff Hansen, assisted by Brian McBride). The temperature reached a high of 6C at 1500 and 1600 from a morning low of -1C and it was 4C at 1830. Ground winds were SW all day, 0-10 gusting to 15 km/h in the afternoon and ridge winds appeared to be moderate NW. Cloud cover was 70-50% cumulus and altocumulus all day apart from 1240-1310 when a light snow squall obscured the sky and ridges which otherwise were clear all day. Observing conditions were good but the day only produced 13 migrant raptors between 1053 and 1640 which is the lowest count for a non-weather affected day since October 3. The count was 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 9 adult Golden Eagles and 1 unidentified eagle. All the eagles glided high above the Fisher Range and 6 of the birds were seen between 1500 and 1600. A resident adult male Northern Goshawk was seen hunting near the site at 1532. Other birds seen were 2 Belted Kingfishers that flew to the south about 30 metres above the river around 1300 that may have been migrating, 1 adult Northern Shrike, 3 American Robins flying south and a small flock of 4 cismontanus Dark-eyed Juncos. There were 6 visitors to the site today.

10 hours (389.1) RLHA 3 (35), GOEA 9 (2487), UE 1 (27) TOTAL 13 (2879)

Tuesday, October 30 Vicki Ridge [Day 34] 0815-1800 (Peter Sherrington, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). The temperature at 0815 was 0.5C, the high at 1400 was 8C and it was 3C at 1800. Winds were W and were a remarkably constant 30-40 gusting 50 km/h all day. Cloud cover was 80-90% cirrostratus and altocumulus to 0900 which diminished to 0% at 1300, after which it was 10-20% cumulus and cirrus that was essentially confined to the west. There was a fairly reasonable, although rather sporadic, raptor migration with 70 birds of 7 species moving between 0821 and 1721. The count was 25 Bald Eagles (12a, 5sa, 6j, 1 undifferentiated immature and 1u), 2 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 adult Cooper’s Hawk, 7 adult Northern Goshawks (6 males, 1 female), 1 adult dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawk, 9 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 25 Golden Eagles (21a, 1j, 3u). The highest hourly count was 14 between 1400 and 1500 that included 9 Bald and 4 Golden Eagles. The 3 Bald Eagles that were seen at 1429 moved the cumulative total species count above the previous fall site record of 4237 that was established on November 15 last year. Other bird sightings included 4 Trumpeter Swans (3a, 1j) that flew to the WNW over Kyllo Ridge at 0943, 8 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 56 Bohemian Waxwings flying south in 3 flocks, 200 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches in 7 flocks, 7 Red Crossbills and 24 Pine Siskins.

9.75 hours (307.8) BAEA 25 (299), SSHA 2 (626), COHA 1 (743), NOGO 7 (92), RTHA 1 (173), RLHA 9 (388), GOEA 25 (2462) TOTAL 70 (4263)

Tuesday, October 30 Steeples [Day 36] 1315-1745 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C, winds were light W and S, and cloud cover was 60% cumulus and altostratus. Despite the apparently favourable migration and observation conditions no migrants were seen and the only raptor sighting was of a single resident Golden Eagle.

4.5 hours (157.5) TOTAL 0 (425)