Tuesday, November 05 Vicki Ridge [Day 44] 0745-1000 (Peter Sherrington observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). There was again fog in Beaver Mines but at 0745 the ridges at the site were completely clear, the temperature was -1C, the wind was SE-E 5-10 gusting 15 km/h and cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus. At 0900 and 1000 the temperature was 0C, it was calm or light SE winds and light snow began to fall at 0905 that gradually increased in intensity and by 1000 all ridges were obscured. No migrant or resident raptors were seen and the only birds recorded were 16 Common Ravens most of which flew high to the east from Kyllo Ridge.

2.25 hours (398) TOTAL 0 (4322)

Tuesday, November 05 Steeples [Day 29] 1300-1630 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 5C, it was calm and cloud cover was 60-100% thin altostratus, cumulus and altocumulus. No migrant or resident raptors were seen.

3.5 hours (133.8) TOTAL 0 (447)

Monday, November 04 Vicki Ridge [Day 43] 1200-1730 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). There was thick fog all morning, but at 1145 the gloom in Beaver Mines became slightly lighter so we drove through the fog to the site where at 1200 it was 3C, calm, a very hazy sun was discernible and there was 2 cm of fresh snow on the ground. The fog began to lift at 1225 and by 1235 the ridges were completely clear and cloud cover was 60% altocumulus and altostratus. At 1300 the temperature fell to 1C but after 1400 it was 5C with the exception of 1600 when it reached the day’s high of 5.5C. After 1300 the winds were W all day, light to 1400, 10-15 gusting 30 km/h to 1630 and then 30 gusting 50 km/h for the rest of the day. After 1300 cloud cover was 60-100% altocumulus, dark cumulus and cirrus that allowed some sunny periods and gave good observing conditions throughout. There was a slow and sporadic raptor movement of 17 birds of 5 species between 1335 and 1700 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa, 1j), 1u female Northern Harrier, 1a Northern Goshawk, 7 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 5a Golden Eagles. The highest hourly count was 8 between 1500 and 1600 that included 5 Rough-legged Hawks that were seen between 1536 and 1551. Between 1241 and 1350 there were 6 sightings of non-migratory Golden Eagles (5a, 1sa) all of which soared low over Vicki Ridge before gliding to the north, and for a while it felt rather like we were watching a spring migration! The only other birds seen were 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 3 Black-billed Magpies, 68 Common Ravens and 35 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

5.5 hours (395.8) BAEA 3 (293), NOHA 1 (14), NOGO 1 (76), RLHA 7 (417), GOEA 5 (2671) TOTAL 17 (4322)

Monday, November 04 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation because of teaching commitments.

Sunday, November 03 Vicki Ridge [Day 42] 0730-1200 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0730 was 3C the high was 3.5 at 0800 and it was 1C at the end of observation at 1200. Winds were W 5-10 gusting 15 km/h to 0820 when they changed to NE 0-5 km/h and were E-SE 0-10 km/h after 0900. Cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus and altocumulus to 1030 when it lowered to 100% uniform grey stratus that brought light snow at 1015 that became steady moderate snow after 1140, and the count was abandoned for the day at 1200 when all ridges were obscured. Snow and low cloud persisted throughout the rest of the day. The only raptor seen was 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew high from Vicky Ridge across the valley to the southern end of Kyllo Ridge and on to the SW at 0937. Other birds seen were 3 Canada Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 4 Common Ravens, 2 Pine Siskins and 1 female hyemalis Dark-eyed Junco.

4.5 hours (390.3) SSHA 1 (512) TOTAL 1 (4305)

Sunday, November 03 Steeples [Day 29] 1200-1630 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 3C, it was calm and cloud cover was 50% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus that increased to 100% altostratus and cumulus. The only migrants seen were 2 Northern Harriers (1a female, 1u) that flapped and glided south at 1525. No resident birds were seen.

4.5 hours (130.3) NOHA 2 (13) TOTAL 2 (447)

Saturday, November 02 Vicki Ridge [Day 41] 0830-1830 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, assisted by Phil Nicholas observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0830 was 1C, the high from 1300 to 1500 was 6C and it was 5C for the rest of the day. Winds were generally strong W all day 40-50 gusting 60 km/h except at 1800 when they gusted to 70 km/h. Cloud cover was 80-90% cirrostratus, altocumulus, lenticular and cumulus to 1100, it was mainly sunny with 30-70% altocumulus and cirrostratus to 1445 and then 90-100% altostratus, altocumulus, cirrostratus and dark cumulus gave gloomy conditions for the rest of the day. Observing conditions were good throughout the day. There was a fairly strong raptor movement of 45 birds of 5 species between 0905 and 1749 that comprised 11 Bald Eagles (9a, 1sa2, 1j), 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 1u), 6 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 23 Golden Eagles (16a, 2sa, 5j), 1 unidentified eagle and 1j female Peregrine Falcon. With the exception of 1200-1300 and 1500-1600 when 1 and 2 raptors were counted respectively, movement was fairly steady and peaked at 12 birds between 1400 and 1500. The only other birds seen were 1 Black-billed Magpie, 46 Common Ravens, a flock of 50 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches that were put up above the ridge by a passing Sharp-shinned hawk at 0945, and 3 Dark-eyed [hyemalis] Juncos.

10 hours (385.8) BAEA 11 (290), SSHA 3 (511), RLHA 6 (410), GOEA 23 (2666), UE 1 (19), PEFA 1 (11) TOTAL 45 (4304)

Saturday, November 02 Steeples [Day 29] 1515-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature rose from 1C to 4C, it was calm throughout and an initial cloud cover of 50-70% thin altostratus that gave sunny conditions became 100% grey altostratus by 1600. The count was similar to that of yesterday but the migrants today were 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 1j) that moved between 1520 and 1545, and again migrant pairs were seen twice. The only non-migrant was again an adult Northern Goshawk, which again soared above the ridge.

3.75 hours (126.8) BAEA 5 (154) TOTAL 5 (445)

Friday, November 01 Vicki Ridge [Day 40] 0815-1815 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0815 was -4C, the high from 1400 to 1500 was 3C and it was 1C at 1815. Winds were WNW 20 km/h to 1000 after which they were moderate to strong W for the rest of the day that gradually increased in velocity to 50 gusting 60 km/h after 1500. It was cloudless to 1140 when 20% thin cirrostratus developed after which cloud cover was 40-100% cirrostratus with an increasing percentage of altostratus and lenticular cloud as the day progressed. Observing conditions were excellent throughout and produced the highest Golden Eagle and combined species count since October 21. A total of 69 raptors of 5 species moved between 0841 and 1745 that comprised 15 Bald Eagles (10a, 1sa2, 2j, 2u), 1a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1j), 1a light morph Broad-winged Hawk and 49 Golden Eagles (45a, 4j). Movement was steady all day with 49 of the birds moving after 1300 and peaking at 13 between 1400 and 1500. The only other birds seen were 2 Black-billed Magpies, 41 Common Ravens, 12 Bohemian Waxwings and 37 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10 hours (375.8) BAEA 15 (279), SSHA 1 (508), NOGO 3 (75), BWHA 1 (20), GOEA 49 (2643) TOTAL 69 (4259)

Friday, November 01 Steeples [Day 28] 1345-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was -1C at 1345 and rose to a high of 1C, it was calm and 50% very thin altostratus cloud cover gave sunny conditions. A total of 5a Golden Eagles was counted between 1425 and 1555 with migrating pairs occurring at 1501 and 1555. Non-migrants were 1a Northern Goshawk that soared above and behind the ridge and 1j Golden Eagle that glided to the NW into the valley.

3.25 hours (122) GOEA 5 (191) TOTAL 5 (440)