Wednesday, March 28 Mount Lorette [Day 25] 0730-2020 (Blake Weis, assisted by Rick Robb and Cliff Hansen). The temperature at 0730 was -2C, the high 3C (1300-1800) and it was 0C when observation finished. Ground winds were NW-NE 5-10 gusting 15 km/h to 1200 and S-SW 5-10 gusting 20 km/h in the afternoon, while ridge winds were NW all day, light to moderate to 1200, moderate to 1800 after which they were again light to moderate. Cloud cover was 70-80% altocumulus, cumulus and altostratus to 1800 that gradually dwindled to 20% by the end of the day. The eastern ridges were 10-20% obscured to 1100 and were then clear, and the west was 90% obscured to 0830, 10-20% obscured to 1200 after which it was mainly clear. Raptor migration consisted entirely of eagles with 104 birds moving between 1040 and 1944: 5 Bald Eagles (4a, 1j), 98 Golden Eagles (83a, 3sa, 3j, 10u) and 1 unidentified eagle. With the exception of 3 birds the entire movement was high to very high above the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette. Only 10 birds were seen before 1500 after which the pace increased with subsequent hours yielding 11 (15-1600), 26, (16-1700), 31 (17-1800), 18 (18-1900) and 8 (1900-1944) eagles. Other birds recorded in the area were 14 Canada Geese, 3 Mallards, 1 Killdeer, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 2 Grey Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 1 American Crow, 16 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 American Dippers, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire, 2 American Robins, 183 European Starlings, 1 Dark-eyed Junco and 1 Common Redpoll. Only 3 visitors came to the site today.

13.83 hours (281.9) BAEA 5 (100), GOEA 98 (1514), UE 1 (2) TOTAL 104 (1648)

Wednesday, March 28 Beaver Mines [Day 32] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature was 1C at 0730, the high was 6C at 1100 and it was -2C at 1930. Winds were light NW-WNW to 1100 when 30-40 km/h W-WSW winds developed which changed abruptly at 1300 to E-ESE 30-40 km/h that diminished to 15 km/h after 1700. Cloud cover was 40-100% cumulus and altostratus to 1300 when 100% dark stratocumulus moved quickly from the east and briefly obscured the ridge, after which mainly uniform grey stratus persisted for the rest of the day. The first migrant Golden Eagle glided high to the NW at 0951 but the only persistent movement was 1128 to 1258, coincident with the W-WSW winds, when 26 of the day’s 29 migrants were seen. The weather disturbance at 1300 completely shut down the migration and subsequently the only eagle seen was a late-moving Bald Eagle at 1922. The final count was 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 23 adult Golden Eagles.

12 hours (310), BAEA 1 (175), SSHA 1 (6), RTHA 3 (27), RLHA 1 (69), GOEA 23 (996), TOTAL 29 (1312)

Wednesday, March 28 Steeples [Day 21] 1530-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 9C, winds were W light to moderate, cloud cover was 60% cumulus and the ridges were clear. Despite favourable conditions no migrant raptors were seen, but non-migrants were 1a Turkey Vulture, 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 2j), 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 2 adult Golden Eagles one of which performed a high altitude display flight.

2 hours (93) TOTAL 0 (634)

Tuesday, March 27 Mount Lorette [Day 24] 0730-1955 (Blake Weis, assisted by Brian McBride). The starting temperature was 2C, the high was 4C between 1100 and 1300 and again at 1500 and 1600, and it was 3C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW all day, 10-15 gusting 35 km/h in the morning and 5-10 gusting 15 km/h in the afternoon, and ridge winds were strong SW in the morning and moderate to strong in the afternoon. Morning cloud cover was 70-90% mixed cloud that became 90-100% stratus and cumulus in the afternoon. Light snow flurries began at 0930 and became light to moderate snow after 1200. The eastern route was clear to noon but was then 20-80% variably obscured and 100% obscured at 1700, and the west was 50-60% obscured to 1700 when it also became completely obscured. A total of 6 Golden Eagles (3a, 3u) were seen from the Hay Meadow site between 0945 and 1258, all on the eastern route. Because of the weather Blake moved to the Lusk Creek site at 1625, but Brian stayed in the Hay Meadow to 1700 before joining him. At Lusk Creek the winds were similar but cloud cover was only 20-30% cumulus, altocumulus and altostratus, and a further 13 migrants: 5 adult Bald Eagles and 8 adult Golden Eagles, were seen between 1815 and 1911. The final combined count was 5 adult Bald Eagles and 14 Golden Eagles (11a, 3u). Other birds seen at the Hay Meadow were 2 Canada Geese flying north, 1 male Northern Flicker, 1 Grey Jay, 9 Common Ravens and 1 Black-capped Chickadee. There were no visitors today.

12.42 hours (268.1) BAEA 5 (95), GOEA 14 (1416), TOTAL 19 (1544)

Tuesday, March 27 Beaver Mines [Day 31] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington and Gird Petersen 0900-1130). The temperature at 0730 was 1C, the high at 1300 was 7C and it was 3C at 1930. Winds were strong W-WSW all day 50-60 gusting 80-100 km/h. Cloud cover was mainly 20-50% altostratus, cumulus and altocumulus to 1100 when it became 100% altostratus and cumulus to 1600 after which it was 20-50% cumulus with the sky completely clearing by 1930. Migration started early with Golden Eagles gliding high to the NW at 0736 and 0752, but it was not to be sustained and subsequent movement was very sporadic with the exception of 1611-1637 when 8 adult Golden Eagles were seen. The final count of 23 raptors between 0736 and 1715 was 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 19 Golden Eagles (16a, 3u), 1u columbarius Merlin, 1 probable female grey morph Gyrfalcon and 1 adult male Peregrine Falcon, which was the first for the season.

12 hours (298) SSHA 1 (5), GOEA 19 (973), MERL 1 (5), GYRF 1 (6), PEFA 1 (1) TOTAL 23 (1283)

Tuesday, March 27 Steeples [Day 20] 1530-1730 (Vance Mattson). The  temperature was 9C but strong W winds made it feel much cooler, and cloud cover was 60% cumulus. The ridges cleared by 1630 but the only migrant seen was a juvenile Bald Eagle. Two juvenile Bald Eagles in the area were considered to be non-migrants.

2 hours (91) BAEA 1 (117) TOTAL 1 (634)

Monday, March 26 Mount Lorette [Day 23] 0705-1915 (George Halmazna, assisted by Dan Parliament). The starting temperature was -4C and the high was 2C from 1600 to the end of observation. Ground winds were SW 10-25 gusting 30-40 km/h and ridge winds were strong SW all day. Cloud cover was 90-100% cumulus and stratus that produced snow flurries all day at the site that adversely affected viewing conditions. Snow obscured the west ridges 80-90% of the time, but the east was clear to 1500 after which snow periodically diminished visibility. Despite the conditions there was another strong raptor movement with 178 birds of 3 species migrating between 0832 and 1753, with all the eagles gliding high above the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette. The count was 3 adult Bald Eagles, 174 Golden Eagles (169a, 2sa, 3u) and the season’s first adult Peregrine Falcon that flew to the north above the eastern part of the valley at 1403. Maximum hourly movement was 1200-1300 when 1 Bald Eagle and 32 Golden Eagles were counted. Single adult resident Bald and Golden Eagles were also seen. Other birds present were 4 Canada Geese, 1 Killdeer, 21 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee and 1 American Robin, and there were 7 visitors today.

12.16 hours (255.7) BAEA 3 (90), GOEA 174 (1402) PEFA 1 (1) TOTAL 178 (1525)

Monday, March 26 Beaver Mines [Day 30] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Gord Petersen). The temperature at 0730 was -3C, the high was 3C at 1500 and again at 1700 and it was 0C at 1930. Winds were strong W-WSW all day 40-60 gusting up to 90 km/h. Cloud cover was initially 100% altostratus and altocumulus to 0900 but for the rest of the day varied between 50 and 100% cumulus, altostratus and altocumulus that generally gave very good observing conditions. Heavy low cloud and snow persisted up the valley to the SW all day but only occasional brief light flurries reached the site and the ridge was clear all day. There was a fairly strong and persistent raptor movement of 151 birds of a season-high 9 species that moved between 0827 and 1859. The flight comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 3 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus light 2a and 1u dark morph of unknown race), 1 adult light morph Ferruginous Hawk, 5 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 135 Golden Eagles (125a, 2sa, 4j, 4u), 1 adult female American Kestrel, the first for the season, 1u columbarius Merlin and 1u grey morph Gyrfalcon. The highest hourly count was 28 between 1600 and 1700 but the next hour yielded only 2 migrants and it appeared that migration was over for the day, but a further 18 Golden Eagles moved between 1814 and 1859.

12 hours (286) BAEA 3 (174), NOGO 1 (14), RTHA 3 (24), FEHA 1 (2), RLHA 5 (68), GOEA 135 (954), AMKE 1 (1), MERL 1 (4), GYRF 1 (5) TOTAL 151 (1260)

Monday, March 26 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). The ridges were mostly obscured all day.

Saturday, March 24 Mount Lorette [Day 21] 0715-1615 (Jim Davis, assisted by Rosemary and Cliff Hansen). The starting temperature was -7C and the high was 0C from 1300 to the end of observation. Ground winds were calm to 1400 after which they were E 10-15 and ridge winds could not be assessed as cloud cover was 100 stratus all day. The east ridges were 30% obscured to 0900, clear to 1200, 50% obscured to 1300 and 100% thereafter; the west was clear to 1000, 30% obscured to 1300 and 100% thereafter. Snow started at 1400 and the observers left for Lusk Creek where they found the same conditions and finally went to Lac des Arcs in the Bow Valley where the count was finally abandoned at 1615. A total of 32 migrant raptors of 5 species were seen between 0905 and 1521 comprising 6 Bald Eagles (2a, 2sa, 2j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 21 Golden Eagles (10a, 11u) and 3 Gyrfalcons all of which flew from in front of Mount Kidd to Skogan Pass: a black morph bird at 1224 and 2 dark grey birds at 1232. Twenty-three of the birds moved between 1208 and 1254 with most birds flying for Mount Kidd to Skogan Pass and 6 birds were seen on the eastern route. Other birds seen in the Hay Meadow area were 8 Canada Geese, a pair of Common Goldeneye, 1 Killdeer, 12 Common Ravens, 1 American Dipper and 1 American Robin. The highlight of the day, however, was the sight of a Red-fox carrying an American Red Squirrel in its jaws near the Kananaskis River Bridge. There were 6 visitors to the Hay Meadow site.

9 hours (84) BAEA 6 (84), NOGO 1 (7), RLHA 1 (7), GOEA 21 (921) GYRF 3 (7) TOTAL 32 (1035)

Saturday, March 24 Beaver Mines [Day 28] 0715-1920 (Peter Sherrington to 1700, Denise Cocciolone-Amatto 1700-1920). There was 2 cm of fresh snow on the ground and the starting temperature was -5C, the high was briefly 4C at 1300 and it was -2C at the end of observation. Winds were mainly favourable WSW all day 10-15 km/h in the morning that increased to 20 gusting 40 km/h after 1500. Cloud cover was mainly70-100% stratus that briefly diminished on occasion to 20-40%. Snow flurries and periods of snow occurred throughout obscuring the ridge for periods of up to 40 minutes. Between the snow events, however, raptor movement was reasonably strong with a total of 91 birds of 4 species recorded between 1114 and 1910 that comprised 11 Bald Eagles (10a, 1j), 4 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (3a, 1u), 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 72 Golden Eagles (66a, 1sa, 5j), 1 unidentified eagle, and 2 female Gyrfalcons (1 white morph and 1 grey morph). The busiest hours were 26 between 1200 and 1300, 25 between 1500 and 1600 and 16 between 1800 and 1900.

12.08 hours (262.2) BAEA 11 (162), RTHA 4 (16), UB 1 (3), GOEA 72 (747), UE 1 (3), GYRF 2 (3), TOTAL 91 (1016)

Saturday, March 24 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). It snowed all day and the mountains were completely obscured.

Sunday, March 25 Mount Lorette [Day 22] 0605-2030 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson, Rosemary and Tiina Moore). The morning low temperature was -12C from 0800 and 0900, the high was 0C from 1500 to 1900 and it was -2C at the end of observation. Ground winds were initially light becoming SSE 2-20 gusting 30 km/h to 1300 after which they were S-SW 3-15 gusting 20 km/h to 1900 becoming light again at the end of the day; ridge winds were moderate SW all day. There was cumulus cloud cover all day, 10-20% to 1300 thickening to 80-100% for the rest of the day. The east was clear except for 1500-1800 when it was 20% obscured by light snow, and the west was 10-30% obscured by snow after 1500. Conditions were highly conducive to raptor migration with a season-high 312 birds of 3 species moving high above the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette between 0753 and 1942. The count was 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks and a season-high 307 Golden Eagles (159a, 15sa, 27j, 106u). The only significant soaring was a kettle of 10 eagles over Mount Lorette at 1211. Movement was strong and steady after 0900 with high hourly counts of 80 (1200-1300) and 85 (1400-1500) and there was a late movement of 22 birds between 1900 and 1942. Resident birds were an adult Northern Goshawk that flew south above the meadow and an adult Golden Eagle that hunted above Hummingbird Plume Hill, and 5 adult non-migrant Bald Eagles were also seen. Other birds were 2 Canada Geese, 45 California Gulls that flew north from the Fisher Range, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 11 Common Ravens and 1 Boreal Chickadee. There were 23 visitors to the site today.

14.42 hours (243.5) BAEA 3 (87), SSHA 2 (7), GOEA 307 (1228) TOTAL 312 (1347)

Sunday, March 25 Beaver Mines [Day 29] 0715-1900 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Phil Hazelton, Carl Simmons, and Doug and Teresa Dolmen). The temperature at 0715 was -4C, the high was 4C at 1300 and 1500 and it was -2C at 1900. Winds were W-WSW all day 25-35 gusting to 45 km/h, and cloud cover was 0-50% altocumulus and thin stratus to 1100, 50-90% cumulus and altostratus to 1700 and 100% stratus for the rest of the day that produced light snow and obscured the ridge after 1850. Observing conditions were generally good which enabled the locating of many very high-flying migrants. The count was 93 raptors of 7 species that were seen between 0830 and 1738 with 45 of the birds occurring between 1500 and 1700. The count comprised 9 adult Bald Eagles, the season’s first Cooper’s Hawk, an adult female, that was the last bird of the day, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 5 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 72 Golden Eagles (55a, 1sa, 5j, 11u), 2u columbarius Merlins, 1u dark grey Gyrfalcon and 1 large unidentified raptor.

11.75 hours (274) BAEA 9 (171), COHA 1 (1), NOGO 1 (13), RTHA 5 (21), UB 1 (4), GOEA 72 (819), MERL 2 (3), GYRF 1 (4), UU 1 (2) TOTAL 93 (1109)

Sunday, March 25 Steeples [Day 19] 1100-1845 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 0-4C, winds were moderate S and cloud cover was 50% altostratus and cumulus to 1100 that thickened to 100% altostratus by 1830. Snow fell between 1610 and 1700 but there were frequent periods of sunshine. After three days of poor weather a strong migration was expected but proved to be a disappointing 21 eagles, 7 Bald Eagles (4a, 3j) and 14 Golden Eagles (13a, 1j), between 1204 and 1824. Movement was sporadic and the highest hourly count was 7 between 1300 and 1400. Non-migrants were the first occurrence of an adult Turkey Vulture, 7 sightings of immature Bald Eagles that included a subadult that carried a stick in its talons and was continuously dive-bombed by a juvenile bird, an adult Red-tailed Hawk was near the site and there were 4 sightings of single resident adult Golden Eagles. Twenty-three California Gulls flew high to the north at 1237.

7.75 hours (89) BAEA 7 (116), GOEA 14 (516) TOTAL 21 (633)

Friday, March 23 Mount Lorette [Day 20] 0730-2000 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rick Robb). The temperature at 0800 was -1C, the high was 3C at 1500 and it was 0C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW 10-20 gusting to 48 km/h that diminished after 1700 and became light E after 1900; ridge winds were strong to very strong SW to 1700 when they became moderate and were light to moderate after 1900. Cloud cover was initially 50% cumulus and altocumulus that reduced to 10% altocumulus between 1000 and 1400, increased to 60-80% altostratus and altocumulus to 1700 after which it was 100% altostratus to the end of observation. The eastern ridges were clear to 1700 after which they were 20% obscured, and the west was clear between 0900 and 1700 but was initially 60% obscured and 40-80% obscured after 1700, reducing to 20% at the end of the day. Light snow and sleet fell between 1800 and 1900. A slightly disappointing total of 104 migrant raptors of 4 species were counted between 0800 and 1824 comprising 3 adult Bald Eagles, 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 98 Golden Eagles (48a, 7sa, 7j, 36u) and 1 Prairie Falcon. The eagles all glided high to very high above the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette and none were seen on the western route. Movement was initially steady but slow and by 1500 only 33 birds had been counted; the next two hours produced 36 and 23 migrants respectively, but only a further 12 birds moved after 1700 as weather conditions deteriorated. Resident and non-migrant raptors were 2 Bald Eagles (1a and 1 late subadult), 1 or 2 adult Northern Goshawks, and the pair of adult Golden Eagles that perched together on Olympic Summit before the presumed male displayed above the female that remained perched. Other birds were hard to find in the high winds and comprised 16 swans that flew high to the east over the Fisher Range, 1 male Common Merganser, 1 Killdeer, 2 Grey Jays, 10 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees and 1 American Dipper. A single Coyote was observed “mousing” in the meadow, and a total of 11 visitors came to the site.

12.5 hours (220.1) BAEA 3 (78), RLHA 2 (6), GOEA 98 (900), PRFA 1 (2) TOTAL 104 (1003)

Friday, March 23 Beaver Mines [Day 27] 0715-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Denise Cocciolone Amatto, Pat Lucas and Phil Hazelton). The temperature at 0715 was -3C, the high was 4.5C at 1400 and it was 0C at the end of observation. Winds were W to 1030 and then WSW for the rest of the day, 40-50 gusting to 80 km/h that dropped to 20 km/h at 1900. Cloud cover was 0-20% altocumulus to 1530 after which it quickly thickened to 70-100% altostratus and altocumulus for the rest of the day. Observing conditions were good to excellent throughout. Once again W-WSW winds produced a solid count of 191 migrant raptors between 0725 and 1916 of a season-high 8 species. The count comprised 21 Bald Eagles (16a, 3sa, 2j), 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 1u), a season-high 3 adult Northern Goshawks, 4 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (3 light, 1 dark), the season’s first Ferruginous Hawk, a juvenile light morph, 5 Rough-legged Hawks (3 light, 2 dark), 2 unidentified light morph Buteos, 152 Golden Eagles (149a, 1sa, 1j) and the season’s first Merlin, an adult or juvenile female of the race richardsonii. Seven birds were counted before 0800 and the subsequent flight was remarkably even all day with hourly high counts of only 28 between 1300 and 1400 and again between 1700 and 1800.

12.25 hours (250.2) BAEA 21 (151), SSHA 2 (4), NOGO 3 (12), RTHA 4 (12), FEHA 1 (1), RLHA 5 (63), UB 2 (2), GOEA 152 (675), MERL 1 (1) TOTAL 191 (925)

Friday, March 23 Steeples [Day 18] 1100-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature rose to a high of 5C from a low at 1100 of 2C, winds were moderate to strong E-SE and 60% cumulus cloud cover gradually thickened to 100% cumulus and altostratus by the end. Minor flurries occurred between 1500 and 1530 and by 1700 the ridges to the north began to cloud over. No migrant raptors were seen. Non-migrant juvenile Bald Eagles were seen three times, an adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk was seen on four occasions, usually close to the site, and resident adult Golden Eagles were seen several times, usually as a pair. Display flights by one bird were seen twice with the one at 1534 being particularly energetic.

6 hours (81.25) TOTAL 0 (612)