Monday, April 2 Mount Lorette [Day 29] 0720-1930 (George Halmazna assisted by Dan Parliament). The starting temperature was -14C, rose to a high of -5.5C at 1800 and was -8C at 1930. Ground winds were NE-NW 5-15 km/h that became light late in the day, and ridge winds were probably mainly light NE. Cloud cover was 100% low stratus that produced snow to 1000 after which it thinned slightly to 90-70% cumulus with snow flurries to 1700 when upper winds switched to NW and the skies cleared to 20% cumulus. Ridges were 100% obscured to 1000 and both the east and west ridges were not completely clear until 1800. The first migrant, a juvenile Bald Eagle, was not seen until 1527 but subsequently there was a fairly strong eagle movement to 1827 comprising 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) and 29 Golden Eagles (24a, 2j, 3u), with 14 of the birds seen between 1600 and 1700. All birds were located on the Fisher Range but only 5 were seen to move to Mount Lorette and some moved to the NE from the northern end of the Fisher Range. Two subadult Bald Eagles were considered to be non-migrants, and other birds present were 2 Common Goldeneyes, 1 Killdeer, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Blue Jay, 1 Black-billed Magpie, only 3 Common Ravens and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos. Unsurprisingly, with the cold weather, there were no visitors today.

12.16 hours (325) BAEA 3 (128), GOEA 29 (1828) TOTAL 32 (2021)

Monday, April 2 Beaver Mines [Day 37] 0700-1800 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was -13C, the high was -6C (1400-1600) and it was -11C at 2000. Winds were light all day and mainly from the S-ESE although between 1530 and 1830 it was essentially calm. Cloud cover was 100% low stratus to 1325 when it was 60% cumulus that diminished to 10% at 1700, after which 70% altocumulus and cumulus redeveloped to 1930 which again dwindled to 10% altocumulus at the end of observation. Observing conditions after 1330 were excellent. Light snow fell to 1330 by which time there was 17 cm of fresh snow on the ground. Raptor movement was slow and sporadic with 24 birds of 5 species moving between 1324 and 1907. The count was 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 19 Golden Eagles (17a, 2sa) and the season’s first Prairie Falcon, an adult male. Fifteen birds moved before 1538, but there was no further movement until 1837 after which a further 7 Golden Eagles and the Rough-legged Hawk were seen. The three-hour shut-down coincided with windless conditions on the ridge.

13 hours (358.7) BAEA 1 (197), NOGO 1 (15), RLHA 1 (72), UB 1 (5), GOEA 19 (1124), PRFA 1 (1) TOTAL 24 (1483)

Monday, April 2 Steeples [Day 24] 1400-1600 and 1630-1800 (Vance Mattson). As the ridges were heavily obscured to 1630, Vance observed for 2 hours from his house in Wasa, but counted only non-migrants: 3 Turkey Vultures, 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 2j), 1u Northern Goshawk and 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks. He arrived at the site at 1630 where the temperature was 2C, it was calm and cloud cover was 30% cumulus. Again no migrant raptors were seen, but the resident pair of Golden Eagles was present.

3.5 hours (107) TOTAL 0 (643)

Sunday, April 1 Mount Lorette [Day 28] 0720-1300 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rosemary). The temperature at 0720 was -14C, the high was -5C at 1200 and it was -6C at 1300 when the count was abandoned for the day. Ground winds were light SW to 1100, E 5-10 gusting 20 km/h after 1100 and N 5-10 gusting 25 km/h at 1230. Ridge winds were light to moderate W to 1200 and moderate N after 1230. Cloud cover was initially 80% altostratus and cirrostratus that reduced to 20% at 1000 and gave unexpected but welcome sunshine. By 1100 cloud was beginning to envelope the peaks and by 1200 cover was 100% stratus that lowered and brought snow at 1230, obscuring all the mountains and bringing the day’s count to an end at 1300. A total of 6 migrating eagles, 5 Golden Eagles (4a, 1j) and 1 unidentified eagle, were seen between 1055 and 1215 with 4 of the Golden Eagles moving between 1100 and 1200. The juvenile Golden Eagle moved on the western route and the rest were to the east. A resident Northern Goshawk called east of the river, and other birds in the area were 1 Killdeer, 1 Grey Jay, 5 Common Ravens, 1 Varied Thrush that sang east of the river and was the first for the season, and 60 Bohemian Waxwings. The brief period of sunshine lured 5 visitors to the site.

5.67 hours (312.8) GOEA 5 (1799), UE 1 (21) TOTAL 6 (1989)

Sunday, April 1 Beaver Mines [Day 36] 0700-1300 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was -11C and the high was -6C from 1100 to 1300 when the count was abandoned for the day. Winds were light NW-ESE to 1130 when ESE winds gusted to 30 km/h that brought snow and low stratus that had completely obscured the ridge by 1300. Cloud cover was altostratus that thinned enough to provide hazy sunshine between 1100 and 1230. Only 4 migrant raptors were seen: 1 juvenile light morph Ferruginous Hawk flying low in the valley at 1024, 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew high to the NNW at 1139, 1u female columbarius Merlin also flying low and the season’s first Northern Harrier, an unaged female that disappeared into snow over the ridge at 1240. Snow persisted for the rest of the day and the ridge remained obscured.

6 hours (345.7) NOHA 1 (1), SSHA 1 (8), FEHA 1 (4)

Sunday, April 1 Steeples (Vance Mattson) NO OBSERVATION (Weather). It snowed off-and-on all day and the valley and mountains were entirely obscured

Saturday, March 31 Mount Lorette [Day 27] 0800-2015 (Jim Davis, assisted by Ruth Morrow). The starting temperature was a bone-chilling -22C but it warmed to a high of -4C at 1700 and 1800, and was -5C at the end of observation. Ground winds were variable SW-E 5-15 km/h to 1600 when they switched to NE and became light late in the day. Ridge winds were generally SSW-SW light to 1300 increasing in the afternoon becoming strong after 1700 but diminishing again to light at the end of the day. At 1800 the clouds indicated SW winds on the E ridges and moderate to strong winds on the west ridges! Cloud cover was 20-30% cumulus all day, but valley fog to the west curtailed visibility until 1000. With the exception of Mount Lorette that was obscured to 1000, the eastern ridges were clear all day, but the west was 50% obscure to 1200, 70% to 1400 after which it rapidly cleared. Following the complete shutdown yesterday, there was a strong raptor movement of 199 birds of a season-high 6 species between 1000 and 1944. The count was a season-high 16 Bald Eagles (11a, 3sa, 2j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 2 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 1j) that were the earliest ever seen at the site, one day earlier that the 3 birds seen last year, 5 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (3 light, 1 rufous and 1 dark), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 171 Golden Eagles (112a, 8sa, 12j, 39u) and 2 unidentified eagles. About 75% of the movement between 1000 and 1600 was on the western route with birds moving in-and-out of cloud from Mount Kidd over Olympic Summit and on to the NW over Skogan Pass. After 1600 movement was low along the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette with much soaring flight but after 1700 birds glided very high above the Fisher Range that resulted in most birds being unaged. Thirty-five birds were recorded between 1000 and 1100 and peak movement was 50 (1300-1400). After 1500 the pace lessened but 14 birds moved between 1919 and 1994 in a late pulse. Other birds seen were 7 Canada Geese, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Grey Jays, 11 Common Ravens, 14 American Robins in a single flock and 2 European Starlings. The 46 visitors to the site all had fantastic views of migrating raptors.

12.25 (307.2) BAEA 16 (125), NOGO 1 (9), BWHA 2 (2), RTHA 5 (7), RLHA 2 (9), GOEA 171 (1794), UE 2 (20) TOTAL 199 (1983)

March summary (With variance from the long-term 1993-2016 20 year average, that excludes the anomalously low counts in 2008-2010 and 2012 which are considered invalid). 27 days (-6.7%), 307.2 hours (-1.5%): BAEA 125 (+12.8%), SSHA 7 (+182.7%), NOGO 9 (-20.3%), RTHA 7 (+50%), RLHA 9 (+76.6%), GOEA 1794 (-26.3%, the third-lowest valid March count at the site), UE 20 (+677.8%), GYRF 7 (+ 818.8%, and the highest ever March count), PEFA 1 (+200% and only the 8^th March record for the site) and 2 Prairie Falcons (+121.2%) TOTAL 1983 (-23.2%, the third-lowest valid combined species March count at the site) (10 species).

Saturday, March 31 Beaver Mines [Day 35] 0700-1815 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was -19C, the high was -8C at 1100 and 1300-1500 and it was -9C at 1815. Winds were light WSW to 0930 and again from 1600 to the end of observation, but between they were E-ESE 10-15 km/h. Cloud cover was 80-100% stratus and altocumulus to 0900, 80-20% cumulus to 1500 after which it was cloudless for the rest of the day. There was an ice crystal haze between 0700 and 1500 that thickened to a crystal fog between 1000 and 1100 that significantly reduced visibility. A total of 35 migrants of 5 species were seen between 1201 and 1801 comprising 4 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult female Sharp-shinned Hawk, 4 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 adult dark morph Ferruginous Hawk and 27 Golden Eagles (23a, 1sa, 3j). Peak hourly movement was 10 birds between 1300 and 1400 and again between 1600 and 1700. At 1450 an adult Northern Shrike was seen feeding on a starling that it had just killed. After pecking at it a few times it flew up to an adjacent low branch of an aspen and perched for a couple of minutes before again flying to the starling and pecking at it. It repeated this sequence twice more, and then flew back from its perch, picked the bird up from the snow with its feet and flew low downslope with it for about 50m. Sibly gives the average mass of a shrike as 65g and that of a starling as 82g so it was somewhat surprising that the shrike could carry something significantly heavier than itself over such a distance.

11.25 hours (339.75) BAEA 4 (196), SSHA 1 (7), RTHA 2 (35), FEHA 1 (3), GOEA 27 (1105) TOTAL 35 (1455)

March summary (with variance from the 2015-2017 average in parenthesis) 31 days (+14.8%), 305.7 hours(+53.7%), BAEA 183 (+3.8%), SSHA 7 (-54.3%), COHA 2, (+50%), NOGO 14 (-66.9%), RTHA 35 (-44.4%), FEHA 3 (+12.5%), RLHA 68 (+4.6%), UB 4 (-25%), GOEA 1092 (+15.8% and the highest ever March count), UE 3 (+80%), AMKE 1 (-70%), MERL 5 (-40%), GYRF 6 (+63.6%) and PEFA 1(-40%) TOTAL 1426 (+5.1%) (12 species compared to 17 species last year). Notably absent this March was Northern Harrier (average 14) and Prairie Falcon (average 5.3).

Saturday, March 31 Steeples [Day 23] 1230-1800 (Vance Mattson, assisted by Virginia Rasch). The temperature was -2C at the start and rose to a high of 4C. Conditions were calm and cloud cover of 30-50% cumulus gave continuous sunshine. A total of 8 migrants, 1 juvenile Bald Eagle and 7 Golden Eagles (6a, 1j), moved, between 1407 and 1645, with 6 of the birds seen between 1407 and 1451. Non-migrants were 3 Turkey Vultures, 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) and 2 Red-tailed Hawks.

5.5 hours (103.5) BAEA 1 (119), GOEA 7 (523) TOTAL 8 (643)

March summary (with variance from the 2010-2017 average in parenthesis) 23 days (+15%), 103.5 hours (+25.8%) BAEA 119 (+16.4%), NOGO 1 (-11.1%) and GOEA 523 (+86.6%, which is the highest ever March count). TOTAL 643 (+62.4%, which is the highest March combined-species count). Only 3 migrant species were seen, which is the lowest March species count ever). The number of raptors/hour was 6.21, 5.33% above average.

Friday, March 30 Mount Lorette (Bill Wilson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). A widespread northern front hit the area early in the morning bringing moderate NNE winds and steady snow that obscured all the mountains. Bill stayed to 1050 but as the forecast called for heavy snow all day he wisely decided to leave.

Friday, March 30 Beaver Mines [Day 34] 0730-1200 and 1700-2000 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature was 2C at 0730, rose to a high of 7C at 1100 but after the passage of the northern front around 1130 it quickly dropped and was -5C at 1200. Winds were WSW 30-50 gusting 70 km/h to 1130 when they became NE 35-45 km/h although the flow at height. Cloud cover was 20-80% cumulus with periods of 100% thin stratus and cumulus to 1130 when 100% low stratocumulus moved upslope that brought snow and quickly enveloped the ridge by 1200.

A total of 10 migrant raptors were seen between 0931 and 1126 comprising 3 Bald Eagles (2sa, 1j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 6 Golden Eagles (5a, 1u). A Golden Eagle at 1111 and the Rough-legged Hawk at 1121 soared very high over the “Big Hill” and disappeared into the base of the approaching up-slope cloud which they probably penetrated to reach the higher still prevailing strong WSW winds after they probably glided to the north above the cloud layer, out of sight. Ten centimetres of heavy snow fell all afternoon to 1700 that completely obscured the ridge and brought observation to a close at 1200. At 1700 the snow became light and the ridge re-emerged and was completely clear by 1850. The temperature was -11C at 1700 and the stratus cloud cover began to break, reducing to 80% altocumulus at 1900. ESE winds 10-15 km/h blew in the valley but an upper WSW light to moderate flow gave hope of further migration which did not materialise. The count ended at 1800 when the temperature was -13C.

7.5 hours (328.5) BAEA 3 (192), RLHA 1 (71), GOEA 6 (1078) TOTAL 10 (1420)

Friday, March 30 Steeples [Day 22] 1230-1730 (Vance Mattson). Conditions west of the Rockies were much better with a temperature of 9-10C, strong N-NE winds that became W after 1500 and 50-60% cumulus, altostratus and altocumulus cloud cover that gave mainly sunny conditions. Only one migrant raptor was seen, however: an adult Bald Eagles at 1407. Non-migrant birds were 1 Turkey Vulture, 1 juvenile Bald Eagle and a pair of light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks with two display flights performed by the noticeably smaller male.

5 hours (98) BAEA 1 (118) TOTAL 1 (635)

Thursday, March 29 Mount Lorette [Day 26] 0730-2030 (Blake Weis, assisted by Patrick Farley). The temperature at 0730 was -5C, the high was 4C at 1600 and 1700 and it was -4C at 2030. Ground winds were light SW to 1600 when they changed to N 5-15 gusting 20 km/h, while ridge winds were W all day, light to 1100 and then moderate for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 30-40% altocumulus and cirrus to 1600 and then 50-100% altocumulus, cirrus, altostratus and cumulus for the rest of the day. The ridges were clear all day but after 1600 hazy mist developed as cool moist air brought by the low-level north winds mixed with the warmer west winds aloft that made identification of high-flying eagles difficult. There was another strong raptor movement with 136 birds of 4 species moving between 1033 and 2002 comprising 9 Bald Eagles (6 adults and 3 undifferentiated immature birds), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 109 Golden Eagles (42a, 67u) and 16 unidentified eagles. Only the goshawk and 2 Golden Eagles were seen to the west and all other birds used the eastern route with eagles initially located over Mount Lorette between 1430 and 1800 probably originating from the Wasootch Creek area. Most birds glided high and soaring flight was minimal. The highest hourly count was 45 between 1600 and 1700 which comprised mainly unaged Golden Eagles and unidentified eagles because of the misty conditions. Four Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa, 1j) and 1 Red-tailed Hawk that flew south above the river were considered non-migrants, and a resident adult Golden Eagle soared high above Hummingbird Plume Hill. Other birds were 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Shrike, 3 Grey Jays, 11 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire, 2 American Robins, 1 European Starling, 10 Bohemian Waxwings, 1 Song Sparrow, 1 Dark-eyed [Oregon] Junco and 1 Common Redpoll. Only 4 visitors came to the site today.

13 hours (294.9) BAEA 9 (109), NOGO 1 (8), RTHA 1 (2), GOEA 109 (1623), UE 16 (18) TOTAL 136 (1784)

Thursday, March 28 Beaver Mines [Day 33] 0715-1815 (Peter Sherrington and Gord Petersen 1100-1300). The temperature at 0715 was -4C at 0715, the high was 7C at 1500 and 1600, and it was 1C at 1815. Winds were WNW 10-15 km/h to 1100 and W 20-30 gusting 40 km/h to 1700 when they abruptly changed to E 35-45 km/h that, as yesterday, essentially terminated the raptor migration. It was cloudless in the morning and 60-80% cumulus, altocumulus, altostratus and cirrus to 1700 that gave excellent observing conditions after which the east winds brought 100% stratocumulus that eventually obscured the ridge. Raptor movement was initially slow with only 2 eagles seen before 1100 but the pace increased and there was a steady migration of 74 raptors of 5 species up to 1700 when the wind shifted after which only 2 further Bald Eagles were seen. The 78 migrants comprised 14 Bald Eagles (12a, 2j), 1 adult Cooper’s Hawk, 6 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (5a, 1u), 1 dark morph Rough-legged Rough-legged Hawk and 76 Golden Eagles (65a, 3sa, 3j, 5u). Maximum movement was 28 (1400-1500) and 23 (1600-1700). A resident pair of Red-tailed Hawks displayed and interacted throughout the day.

11 hours (321) BAEA 14 (189), COHA 1 (2), RTHA 6 (33), RLHA 1 (70), GOEA 76 (1072) TOTAL 98 (1410)

Thursday, March 28 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION. The weather was clear but because of other commitments Vance was unable to observe.