Monday, October 29 Mount Lorette [Day 36] 0740-1830 (George Halmazna, assisted by Dan Parliament). The starting temperature was 0C the high was 5.5C at 1600 and it was 3.5C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW mainly light but gusted to 15 km/h between 1000 and 1200, and ridge winds were SW also light and occasionally moderate in the afternoon. Cloud cover was mainly cumulus all day, 30% to 1200 and 90-70% in the afternoon which provided good observing conditions, and the ridges were all clear. A total of 36 migrants of 3 species were seen between 0932 and 1742 of which 32 were Golden Eagles (21a, 1sa, 3j, 7u): the other birds were 1 juvenile Bald Eagle and 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1u). The maximum hourly count was 1600-1700 which saw the passage of 7 Golden Eagles. All movement was along the Fisher Range mainly at ridge level and only the last 5 eagles after 1700 glided high above the ridge. Other birds included 3 Ruffed Grouse, 50 Bohemian Waxwings in 2 flocks, 52 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 11 White-winged Crossbills, 2 Evening Grosbeaks and 31 Pine Siskins. The highlight of the day, however, was a Bobcat that was seen and photographed early in the morning near the site. The animal is rare in the Kananaskis Valley. The 5 visitors today were particularly welcome as they brought baked goods for the observers!

11 hours (379.1) BAEA 1 (154), NOGO 3 (34), GOEA 32 (2478) TOTAL 36 (2866)

Monday, October 29 Vicki Ridge [Day 33] 0815-1840 (Peter Sherrington, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite and Gord Petersen observing from the Waterton 68 wellsite, 1340-1745). The temperature at 0815 was 2C the high at 1600 was 6C and it was 4C at 1815. Winds were W-WSW all day, 15-20 km/h to 1100 then 25-35 gusting to 45 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 70-100% altostratus, altocumulus, cumulus and cirrus all day that provided a spectacular sunrise and sunset and excellent viewing conditions throughout. There was a fairly strong and persistent raptor movement throughout the day with 126 migrants of 8 species seen between 0825 and 1806. The count was the highest since October 20 and the diversity was highest since October 18. The count comprised a season-high 32 Bald Eagles (19a, 5sa, 6j, 2u), 1 adult male Northern Harrier, 4u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 4 Northern Goshawks (3a, 1j), 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 42 Rough-legged Hawks (32 light, 7 dark, 3u) and 41 Golden Eagles (36a, 3j, 2u). The total includes 35 migrants seen by Gord Petersen between 1340 and 1745 at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge near the Waterton 68 wellsite that comprised 9 Bald Eagles (5a, 4sa), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1j), 16 Rough-legged Hawks (9 light, 5 dark, 2u) and 5 adult Golden Eagles. Twenty-two migrants were seen before 1200 and the hours 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700 and 1700-1800 yielded 17, 20, 19 and 21 birds respectively. Non-raptor birds were dominated by finches that comprised 970 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches in 14 flocks, 12 Red Crossbills and 137 Pine Siskins in 5 flocks.

10 hours (298.1) BAEA 32 (274), NOHA 1 (15), SSHA 4 (624), COHA 1 (73), NOGO 4 (85), RTHA 1 (172), RLHA 42 (379), GOEA 41 (2437) TOTAL 126 (4193)

Sunday, October 29 Steeples [Day 35] 1530-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C, winds were variable and light, and cloud cover was 80 cumulus and stratus. The ridges were partially shrouded by cloud throughout. No migrants were seen but 2 resident Golden Eagles (1a, and 1j) were seen hunting and soaring over the ridges.

2 hours (153) TOTAL 0 (425)

Sunday, October 28 Mount Lorette [Day 35] 0725-1830 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Cliff Hansen). The temperature at 0725 was 2C, the high at 1600 was 9C and it was 6C at 1830. Ground winds were SW 2-10 gusting 25 km/h and ridge winds were SW all day, moderate to 1100 and then strong. Cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1100 then 40-90% cumulus for the rest of the day with the exception of 1600 when it briefly thinned to 10%. Moderate rain and sleet fell between 0930 and 1030 that completely obscured the Fisher Range that was otherwise 10-30% obscured to 1100. The west was 70-100% obscured to 1100 and was then variably 10-90% obscured for the rest of the day. The first migrant was not seen until 1242, but the final count was 52 raptors of 4 species with the last 2 Golden Eagles moving at the relatively early time of 1608. The count was 8 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa, 1j), 1 juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1u) and 43 Golden Eagles (34a, 5j, 4u). All the birds used the eastern route with most eagles gliding high above the Fisher Range, and the maximum hourly count was 17, including 15 Golden Eagles, between 1500 and 1600. Other birds were 1 Mallard flying to the south high above the Fisher Range, 2 female Common Mergansers, 1 Northern Shrike, 4 Canada Jays, 5 Rusty Blackbirds, 85 White-winged Crossbills and 2 Pine Siskins. There were 23 visitors at the site today.

10.92 hours (368.1) BAEA 8 (153), SSHA 1 (65), RLHA 2 (32), GOEA 43 (2446) TOTAL 54 (2830)

Sunday, October 28 Vicki Ridge [Day 32] 0845-1805 (Peter Sherrington, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite and Gord Petersen observing from the Waterton 68 wellsite, 1545-1745). The temperature at the start was 2C, the high was 9C at 1600 and it was 6C at the end. Winds were W-WSW all day, light to 1100 and strong thereafter gusting 60-70 km/h in the middle of the afternoon and were still 40-50 km/h for the last two hours. Cloud cover was 100% stratus and cumulus to 1300 that produced steady moderate and sometimes heavy rain to 1110, although the ridges remained clear. The cloud cover began to break at 1300 and was 90-80% altostratus, cumulus and cirrus to 1430 when it thinned to 20-40% cumulus, altostratus and cirrus until 1800 when it increased to 70%. Once the rain ceased a total of 52 migrant raptors of 6 species were seen between 1128 and 1745 comprising 16 Bald Eagles (11a, 4sa, 1j), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 4 adult Northern Goshawks (3 male, 1 female), 13 Rough-legged Hawks (9 light, 3 dark, 1u), 17 Golden Eagles (11a, 3sa, 2j, 1u) and 1u male Prairie Falcon. The total includes 16 migrants seen by Gord Petersen between 1545 and 1745 at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge near the Waterton 68 wellsite that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark) and 6 Golden Eagles (3a, 2sa, 1j). Twenty-five of the birds moved between 1606 and 1745. Between 1021 and 1042 a non-migrant Rough-legged Hawk hunted by hovering and planing above Vicki Ridge in steady moderate rain but only made one (unsuccessful) vertical stoop. At 1042 a raven soared low beneath it and the hawk immediately flew to the east of the ridge and out of sight. Migrant finches were 430 Grey-crowned Rosy-finches in 4 flocks and 80 Pine Siskins in 2 flocks.

9.33 hours (288.1) BAEA 16 (242), SSHA 1 (620), NOGO 4 (81), RLHA 13 (337), GOEA 17 (2396), PRFA 1 (5) TOTAL 52 (4067)

Sunday, October 28 Steeples [Day 33] 1330-1730 (Vance Mattson). The mountain ridges were heavily obscured although the valley began to clear at 1300. Vance observed from the balcony of his house in Wasa where the temperature reached 11C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 60% stratus and cumulus that brought rain showers between 1420 and 1500. The only migrant seen was a juvenile Bald Eagle at 1403.

4 hours (151) BAEA 1 (91) TOTAL 1 (425)

Saturday, October 27 Mount Lorette [Day 34] 0845-1815 (Blake Weis, assisted by Rosemary). The temperature at 0845 was 3C the high was 7C (1400-1700) and it was 5C at 1815. Ground winds were SSW all day 3-10 gusting 20-30 km/h and ridge winds were strong SW-WSW all day. Cloud cover was initially 20% altocumulus that increased to 60% at 1200, decreased to 20% altocumulus and cirrus at 1500 after which it was 30% cirrus and altocumulus for the rest of the day. The first bird of the day was an adult Peregrine Falcon at 1131 that crossed the Kananaskis Valley from the summit of Mount Lorette to the northern end of the Fisher Range in about 30 seconds. Unfortunately, the rest of the day up to 1744 only produced another 18 migrants that comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 15 Golden Eagles (12a, 1j, 2u) and 1 unidentified eagle. Seven of the Golden Eagles moved between 1500 and 1600. Most of the birds were initially located at the northern end of the Fisher Range and most glided fairly high above the ridge. Other birds flying to the south were a flock of 25 Canada Geese, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 20 Bohemian Waxwings, 40 White-winged Crossbills and 35 Pine Siskins. There were 15 visitors at the site today.

9.5 hours (357.2) BAEA 2 (145), GOEA 15 (2403), UE 1 (26) PEFA 1 (2) TOTAL 19 (2776)

Saturday, October 27 Vicki Ridge [Day 31] 0845-1800 (Peter Sherrington, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). The starting temperature was 4C the high at 1600 was 10C and it was 6C at 1800. Winds were W-WSW all day, 10-15 km/h to 0930 then 30-40 gusting 50-70 km/h for the rest of the day. It was cloudless to 1530 when traces of cirrus and cumulus began to develop that became 30% cirrus at 1700 and 100% thin cirrostratus and altocumulus at 1800. Today’s count was 64 raptors of 5 species that moved between 0907 and 1748 which comprised 15 Bald Eagles (12a, 1sa, 2u), 3 adult Northern Goshawks, 2 adult Red-tailed Hawks (1 light calurus and 1 dark harlani) that soared together above Vicki Ridge at 1531 and brought the season’s total raptor count to 4000, 14 Rough-legged Hawks (11 light, 1 dark, 2u) and 30 Golden Eagles (23a, 2sa, 4j, 1u). Thirty-six migrants, including 26 Golden Eagles, were counted before 1200 and a significant migration appeared to be in the offing, but the next 3 hours yielded only 7 birds before a slight recovery saw the movement of 21 more raptors between 1510 and 1748. Other birds seen included a large adult white-headed gull (probably a Herring Gull) that flew high to the west from the northern end of Kyllo Ridge at 1531, 6 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 1 American Robin, 271 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches that flew to the south in 6 flocks, 15 Red Crossbills and 10 Pine Siskins.

9.25 hours (278.7) BAEA 15 (226), NOGO 3 (77), RTHA 2 (171), RLHA 14 (324), GOEA 30 (2379) TOTAL 64 (4015)

Saturday, October 27 Steeples [Day 33] 1245-1745 (Vance Mattson). The ridges became clear by 1230, the temperature reached 12C under sunny skies, winds were moderate SW that became calm by 1600 and cloud cover was initially 30% cumulus that became 40% cirrus by 1600. Five migrants were seen between 1256 and 1657 comprising 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 2j) and 1 juvenile Golden Eagle. Two further Bald Eagles (1a, 1j) were considered to be non-migrants.

5 hours (147) BAEA 4 (90), GOEA 1 (144) TOTAL 5 (424)

Friday, October 26 Mount Lorette [Day 33] 0825-1750 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Joel Duncan). The temperature at 0825 was 3C, the high was 10C at 1400 and 1500, and it was 5C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW all day 5-10 gusting to 20-35 km/h, and ridge winds were strong SW all day. Cloud cover was initially 100% altostratus that became mainly cumulus and reduced to 30% at 1300 before gradually increasing again throughout the afternoon and was again 100% stratus at the end of the day. Light rain started to fall at 1600 and heavy rain at 1750 brought the count to an early close. The eastern ridges were clear until the end when they quickly clouded over, and the west was clear until 1100 after which it became increasingly occluded and also reached 100% at the end of the day. A total of 50 migrant raptors of 4 species moved between 1000 and 1652 comprising 2a Bald Eagles, 1u small Accipiter, 1u Northern Goshawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 44 Golden Eagles (26a, 1sa, 2j, 15u). All the eagles glided high above the Fisher Range but none were seen at Mount Lorette, and the maximum hourly count was 17 (15 Golden Eagles) between 1400 and 1500. One or 2 resident Golden Eagles were seen and a non-migrant adult Bald Eagle perched on a spruce tree near the river. Other birds seen were 2 Ruffed Grouse, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 3 Canada Jays, 2 Black-billed Magpies, 6 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee 1 Brown Creeper, 1 American Dipper, 10 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 30 White-winged Crossbills and 20 Pine Siskins. Eleven visitors were at the site today.

9.42 hours (347.7) BAEA 2 (143), NOGO 1 (31), UA 1 (8), RLHA 1 (30), GOEA 44 (2388), UE 1 (25) TOTAL 50 (2757)

Friday, October 26 Vicki Ridge [Day 30] 0845-1800 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson to 1530 and Gord Petersen after 1530, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). The temperature was 6C at the start, rose to a high of 10C at 1500 and was 8C at 1800. Winds were strong WSW and occasionally W all day that gusted 50-60 km/h to 1500 and then increased to 70-80 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100% uniform grey stratus to 1030 after which it was 80-100% dark cumulus to the west and cirrus, cirrostratus and cirrocumulus overhead and to the east with the rain clouds periodically moving east bringing light rain showers in the morning and again late in the day. The unsettled weather produced the lowest count at the site since October 13 with 54 birds of 5 species counted between 0933 and 1730. The count was 17 Bald Eagles (10a, 2sa, 3j, 1 undifferentiated immature, 1u) that equals the highest count of the season, 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 adult Northern Goshawks, 7 Rough-legged Hawks (2 light, 2 dark, 3u) and 26 Golden Eagles (21a, 2j, 3u) The highest hourly count was 15 between 1400 and 1500 but movement became sporadic after 1500 as the wind velocity increased. Other birds were scarce but included 5 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 42 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 12 Pine Siskins.

9.25 hours (269.5) BAEA 17 (211), SSHA 2 (619), NOGO 2 (74), RLHA 7 (310), GOEA 26 (2349) TOTAL 54 (3951)

Friday, October 26 Steeples [NO OBSERVATION] (Vance Mattson). Rain fell until 1400 but the mountains remained shrouded by cloud. Vance periodically watched from his home in Wasa but saw no raptors.

Thursday, October 25 Mount Lorette [Day 32] 0815-1900 (Joel Duncan, assisted by Brian McBride). It was a warm day with a starting temperature of 6C, a high at 1600 of 11C and 8C at the end of observation. Ground winds were steady W-SW all day 5-15 gusting up to 27 km/h, and ridge winds were strong SW all day. Cloud cover was a 50-80% mixture of mostly cumulus and altostratus to 1400 then 70-80% cirrus and cirrostratus to 1900 when it reduced to 50%. The top of Mount Kidd was in cloud at 0900 and 1000 but otherwise the mountains were completely clear. A total of 40 Golden Eagles (21a, 6sa, 2j, 11u) moved between 0840 and 1650 with a high hourly count of 15 between 1200 and 1300. One bird glided high from the summit of Mount Lorette above the centre of the valley, but the rest were initially located at the northern end of the Fisher Range where many birds were visibly buffeted by the strong winds. The only other migrant raptor seen was an unaged Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a resident Northern Goshawk was heard calling near the parking area early in the morning. The flock of 22 Cassin’s Finches was seen again and the other non-raptor highlight was a pair of White-winged Scoters that flew to the south against the face of the Fisher Range. Almost 100 visitors made it to the site today including 60 pupils and staff from West Ridge School in Calgary.

10.75 hours (338.2) SSHA 1 (64), GOEA 40 (2344) TOTAL 41 (2707)

Thursday, October 25 Vicki Ridge [Day 29] 0845-1805 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson and Gord Petersen observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite, and Gord Petersen observing from the Waterton 68 Wellsite, 1420-1730). The temperature at 0845 was 7C, the high at 1600 was 11C and it was 8.5C at the end of observation. Winds were strong WSW to W all day 30-50 gusting 60-80 km/h to 1500 and 30-40 gusting 50-60 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 10-20% Cumulus to 1030 after which it quickly clouded over and was a complex mixture of 80-100% cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, altostratus, altocumulus and dark cumulus for the rest of the day that provided excellent viewing conditions. Movement was initially very slow with only 5 birds seen before 1400, but then picked up and the final count was 111 migrant raptors of 6 species that occurred between 0932 and 1756. The total comprised 10 Bald Eagles (3a, 4sa, 2j, 1u), 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1u), 3 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2 light, 1 dark), 18 Rough-legged Hawks (15 light, 2 dark, 1u), 74 Golden Eagles (47a, 11sa, 5j, 11u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The total includes 45 migrants seen by Gord Petersen at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge near the Waterton 68 wellsite that comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 5 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 35 Golden Eagles (23a, 6sa, 3j, 3u). The busiest hours were 34 (1500-1600) and 32 (1600-1700) with both hours seeing the passage of 24 Golden Eagles. Other birds seen included 1 juvenile Northern Shrike, 35 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 8 Red Crossbills and 3 Pine Siskins.

9.33 (260.2) BAEA 10 (194), SSHA 2 (617), NOGO 3 (72), RTHA 3 (169), RLHA 18 (303), GOEA 74 (2323), UE 1 (4) TOTAL 111 (3897)

Thursday, October 25 Steeples [Day 32] 1230-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 12C but fell to 9C by 1700, winds were strong S and cloud cover was 90-100% altostratus and cumulus; light rain fell between 1620 and 1700. The only migrant seen was an adult Bald Eagle at 1424 which was just the 6^th migrant Bald Eagle since October 13 and the first since October 17. A resident Golden Eagle was kiting above the ridge when Vance arrived at the site.

5 hours (142) BAEA 1 (86) TOTAL 1 (419)