Saturday, April 7 Mount Lorette [Day 34] 0710-1700 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Ruth Morrow). The temperature at 0710 was -16C, the high was -3C at 1400 and 1500 and it was -5C at 1700. It was calm to 0900 after which NE winds gradually increased throughout the day and reached 15-20 gusting 30 km/h late in the afternoon. Ridge winds could not be determined but probably reflected the ground winds. It was cloudless until 0900 after which 80% cirrus and altostratus developed to 1500, after which it was 80% altostratus. Ridges were clear all day apart from after 1600 when Mounts Kidd and Bogart became obscured. A total of 10 Golden Eagles (5a, 4u) moved sporadically between 0920 and 1415. The first 3 birds, like the last birds yesterday, were located between 0920 and 1000 over Mount McGillivray; the next 5 birds moved directly from Mount McDougall at the southern end of the Fisher Range to Skogan Pass between 1200 and 1400, and the last 2 birds were located over Hummingbird Plume Hill. All birds flapped extensively. A single Red-tailed Hawk was considered a resident. Other birds seen were a pair of American Wigeon, 3 Common Goldeneyes, 5 Common Mergansers, 1 Killdeer, 2 American Crows, 10 Common Ravens, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 7 American Robins and 1 Song Sparrow. Sixteen visitors to the site were enlightened by Ruth’s explanations of the RMERF project.

9.83 hours (383.7) GOEA 10 (1952) TOTAL 10 (2167)

Saturday, April 7 Beaver Mines [Day 41] 0700-1445 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was -17C, the high was -7C at 1300 and it was –9C when heavy snow brought observation to an end at 1445, Winds were light throughout, W-NNW to 1000 then E-ESE for the rest of the observation period. Cloud cover was initially 10% altostratus but it rapidly clouded over and was 100% stratus by 0830 that then persisted for the rest of the day. Light snow commenced at 1430 that became heavy and completely obscured the ridge at 1445. Once again light winds proved inimical to raptor movement and only 4 migrants were seen: a late subadult Bald Eagle at 1352, adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks at 1244 and 1251 and a juvenile Golden Eagle at 1433 that soared high above the ridge as the snow began to fall before it flew north into the increasingly heavy snowfall. At 1056 two Trumpeter Swans and a Tundra Swan flew together to the north in a tight triad low and immediately overhead, and the contrast in the size, proportions and rapidity of the wing beats of the two species were striking. Like raptors, the species of swan are often easier to distinguish in flight than when they are on the ground! The snow is now forecast to end around midnight and west winds are expected tomorrow so there is the prospect of a decent raptor movement.

7.75 hours (405) BAEA 1 (208), RTHA 2 (52), GOEA 1 (1245)

Saturday, April 7 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Heavy wet snow began to fall at 1330 and showed no signs of stopping.

Friday, April 6 Mount Lorette [Day 33] 0625-2025 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Rick Robb and Patrick and Patricia Farley). The temperature at 0700 was -14C which reached a high of -4C at 1600 and was -9C when observation ceased. Ground winds were mainly NNE and occasionally NNW 0-3 km/h to 1000 and then 0-4 gusting to 35 km/h for the rest of the day, and ridge winds were probably light NE to 1400 and light to moderate SW thereafter. Cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1400 that brought light to moderate snow and obscured all ridges to 1100 and then very light snow to 1400. After 1400 the cloud cover was 60-90% stratus with cumulus and altostratus developing during the last two hours of the day. The east ridges were 10-20% obscured between 1100 and 1400 after which they were clear, and the west continued to be completely obscured to 1400 after which it remained 10% obscured. Despite the brutal “spring” conditions there was a surprisingly robust raptor migration with 36 birds of 3 species moving between 1228 and 1833, although the second Golden Eagle of the day was not seen until 1455. The count was 1 adult Bald Eagle, 33 Golden Eagles (19a, 6j 8u), 1 unidentified eagle and the season’s first Merlin of unknown race, sex or age. Only three of the birds were seen on the western route and the rest moved low with flapping flight against the face of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette and Mount McGillivray where several of the eagles were initially located. Maximum movement was 11 birds between 1700 and 1800 and 9 between 1800 and 1900. A non-migrant adult Bald Eagle and a resident adult Golden Eagle were also noted. Other birds recorded were 1 Tundra Swan, 1 male Common Merganser, 1 Killdeer, 14 Common Ravens, 12 American Robins, 4 European Starlings and 1 Dark-eyed Junco of the race cismontanus. Eight visitors were seen at the site but none lingered long in the bitter conditions.

14 hours (373.9) BAEA 1 (140), GOEA 33 (1942), UE 1 (22), MERL 1 (1) TOTAL 36 (2157)

Friday, April 6 Beaver Mines [Day 40] 0700-2000 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Raymond Toal). The starting temperature was -15C, the high was -8C (1400-1600) and it was -10C at 2000. Winds were mainly light (<10 km/h) E all day, and cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1300 that produced light snow and mainly obscured the ridge to 1145, when 8 cm of fresh snow was on the ground. Cloud cover from 1400-1700 was 60-80% altostratus and altocumulus and 1800-2000 was 90% cirrostratus, cirrus and altocumulus. Hazy sunshine prevailed throughout the afternoon and observing conditions were good once the snow stopped. The light upslope winds produced a slow migration of 18 raptors of 4 species between 1255 and 1715 that comprised 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 15 Golden Eagles (12a, 2sa, 1j). Many of the birds soared high and all interspersed flapping with their high glides to the N and NNW. Twelve of the birds were seen between 1424 and 1531 and nothing moved after 1715 when wind on the ridge appeared to be completely lacking.

13 hours (397.2) SSHA 1 (10), RTHA 1 (50), RLHA 1 (87), GOEA 15 (1244) TOTAL 18 (1653)

Friday, April 6 Steeples [Day 27] 1230-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 0C at 1230 and rose to a high of 3C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus and altocumulus with the ridges partially obscured until 1430. A total of 10 Golden Eagles (9a, 1j) moved between 1401 and 1717 with some of the birds flapping in the calm air. Three of the birds were seen between 1401 and 1430 and 4 between 1604 and 1622; single birds occurred at 1559 and 1651 and the juvenile was the last bird of the day at 1717. Non-migrant birds were a juvenile Bald Eagle and an adult Golden Eagle. Fresh Bobcat tracks in yesterday’s thin blanket of snow were clearly visible near the site.

6 hours (118) GOEA 10 (544) TOTAL 10 (665)

Thursday, April 5 Mount Lorette [Day 32] 0725-1900 (Blake Weis assisted by Rosemary). The starting temperature was -12C, the high at 1300-1700 was -7C and it was -8C at the end of observation. Ground winds were N-NE, 5-10 km/h to 1000, 15-20 km/h to 1400 and 10-20 gusting to 40 km/h to 1700, and ridge winds were moderate NW to 1300 after which they were strong. Cloud cover was 70-90% stratocumulus, cumulus, altostratus and altocumulus to 1600, after which it was 100%. The eastern ridges were 40-90% occluded to 1600 when they were completely obscured and the west was 100% obscured to 1200, then 80-100% for the rest of the day. Light snow fell to 1000, restarted at 1400 and became moderate to heavy after 1600. Despite these unpromising conditions there was a movement of 32 raptors of 3 species between 1217 and 1527 that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 high-soaring unidentified Buteo, 28 Golden Eagles (13a, 1sa, 14u) and 2 large unidentified raptors. Two Golden Eagles flew from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette, and the Bald Eagle flew from the eastern valley to Mount Lorette, but all the other birds were located to the west, either on Olympic Summit or gliding low beneath the clouds against Mount Collembola from where they moved to the NW over Skogan Pass. The hourly counts were 7 (1217-1300), 11 (1300-1400), 9 (1400-1500) and 5 (1500-1527). Three Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) were considered non-migrants, and there was a single sighting of a resident adult Golden Eagle over Hummingbird Plume Hill. At 1700 all ridges were obscured and the snowfall was becomong heavier so the observers decided to move to Lusk Creek, stopping at Lorette Ponds en route, but no further migrants were seen. Other birds seen at the Hay Meadow site were 1 Northern [intergrade] Flicker, 1 American Crow, 4 Common Ravens, 57 American Robins, 55 of which flew low to the north in flocks of 6-26 birds, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 11 European Starlings, 1 Song Sparrow and 4 Dark-eyed Juncos. Mount Lorette Ponds yielded a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye, a female Hooded Merganser and 1 Grey Jay, and the only birds seen at Lusk Creek were a flock of 20 Bohemian Waxwings. Three Bighorn Sheep were seen on Olympic Summit and, not surprisingly, there were no visitors today.

11.58 hours (359.9) BAEA 1 (139), UB 1 (1), GOEA 28 (1909), UU (2) TOTAL 32 (2121)

Thursday, April 5 Beaver Mines (Peter Sherrington). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). There was snow all day with moderate E winds and temperatures between -10 and -8C. The ridge cleared briefly on a couple of occasions when the snow became light, but there was never any prospect of migration happening.

Thursday, April 5 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Rain, snow and overcast all day.

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)