Monday, October 28 Vicki Ridge [Day 36] 1610-1800 (Peter Sherrington observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge).  Steady snow, moderate to strong NE winds and low cloud persisted to 1500 when it quickly cleared. I arrived at the site at 1610 where there was 14 cm of fresh snow and a temperature of -10C that dropped to -12C at 1800. The wind was NNE-ENE 15-30 km/h and cloud cover was 60-70% cumulus that gave mainly sunny conditions. A total of 10 migrant raptors of 2 species were counted between 1618 and 1730, all to the west of the observation site. The count was 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, and 8 Golden Eagles (5a, 1j, 2u). Other birds seen were 147 Canada Geese that flew W in 5 flocks between 1618 and 1734, 225 unidentified ducks that flew high to the west in 5 tight flocks between 1640 and 1740, 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 39 Common Ravens, 4 Bohemian Waxwings, 12 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and a flock of 30 Common Redpolls.

1.83 hours (336) RLHA 2 (400), GOEA 8 (2524) total 10 (4082)

Monday, October 28 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation because of teaching commitments. It was cloud most of the day, but when Vance drove home in the late afternoon the mountains were totally clear.

Sunday, October 27 Vicki Ridge [Day 35] 0830-1800 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge).  The temperature at 0830 was -10C and there was 8cm of overnight snow on the ground, the high at 1400 was 0C and it was -3C at 1800. Winds were W-WSW all day, 10-15 km/h to 1300 after which they increased to 20-30 occasionally gusting 40-45 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 70-80% cirrostratus, cirrus and altocumulus in the morning but throughout the afternoon there was a uniform grey blanket of stratus against which increasing amounts of altocumulus and lenticular cloud developed after 1500. Despite the gloom, observing conditions were generally good. Raptor movement was fairly strong and persistent with 68 birds of 6 species seen between 0945 and 1749 that comprised 22 Bald Eagles (11a, 2sa1, 1 transitional sa2/3, 1 sa3, 3j and 4u), 1a female Northern Harrier, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 1u), 4 Northern Goshawks (3a, 1u), 18 Rough-legged Hawks (17 light, 1 dark), 20a Golden Eagles and 1 unidentified eagle. The highest single hour count was 13 between 1700 and 1800. Other birds noted were 24 Tundra Swans that flew west at 1002, 402 Canada Geese that flew W or SW in 8 flocks between 0937 and 1123, a flock of 100 Northern Pintails that flew south at 1233, a flock of 40 probable Lesser Scaup that flew west at 1011, 4 merganser sp. that flew west at 1654, 1 female Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Canada Jays, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 4 Black-billed Magpies, 71 Common Ravens, 82 Bohemian Waxwings, 55 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 7u Pine Grosbeaks and 3 Dark-eyed Juncos (1 male montanus and 1 male and 1 female cismontanus).

9.5 hours (334.2) BAEA 22 (240), NOHA 1 (12), SSHA 2 (506), NOGO 4 (66), RLHA 18 (398), GOEA 20 (2516), UE 1 (18) TOTAL 68 (4072)

Sunday, October 27 Steeples [Day 26] 1300-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature reached 3C from a low of 1C and at 1730 was again 1C; it was calm throughout and cloud cover was initially 100% altostratus that reduced to 80% thin altostratus and altocumulus by 1700. Despite the ridges being clear no migrant or resident raptors were seen.

4.5 hours (114.8) TOTAL 0 (435)

Saturday, October 26 Vicki Ridge [Day 34] 0830-1700 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0830 was -4C, the high was 1C at 1100 and 1200, and it was again -4C when steady snow stopped the count at 1700. Winds were mainly light or light-moderate 0-10 gusting 15 km/h and varied from S to NNE, and cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1030 and again after 1400 and between it was 60-70% cumulus and stratocumulus. There were occasional brief snow flurries in the morning but after 1325 they became frequent and were persistent after 1500 and often obscured the ridges. Steady snow started at 1645 and persisted for the rest of the day and we left the site at 1700. There was a fairly strong raptor movement of 43 birds between 0928 and 1350, but a Merlin at 1500 and a Golden Eagle at 1616 were the only raptors seen subsequently. The count of 45 birds of 6 species between 0928 and 1616 comprised 10 Bald Eagles (2a, 4sa, 4j), 2a Northern Goshawks, 3a Red-tailed Hawks (2 light calurus and 1 dark harlani), 13 Rough-legged Hawks (12 light, 1 dark), 16 Golden Eagles (15a, 1j) and 1u male columbarius Merlin. Thirty-eight of the birds moved between 1104 and 1350 and the highest single-hour count was 14 between 1200 and 1300. Other birds recorded were 4 Trumpeter Swans that flew south at 1318, 60 Tundra Swans that flew south at 1435, flocks of 5 and 27 Canada Geese that flew W at 1602 and south at 1606 respectively, 1 Northern Pygmy-Owl that sang briefly at 1105, a flock of 30 unidentified ducks that flew very high to the west at 1248, 1 Canada Jay, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 22 Common Ravens, 250 Bohemian Waxwings, 265 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 1 female Pine Grosbeak and 3 Common Redpolls that were the first for the season. Despite the weather it wasn’t a bad day.

8.5 hours (324.7) BAEA 10 (218), NOGO 2 (62), RTHA 3 (137), RLHA 13 (380), GOEA 16 (2496), MERL 1 (18) TOTAL 45 (4004)

Saturday, October 26 Steeples [Day 25] 1245-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 5C, it was calm and cloud cover was 80% cumulus to 1445 when E-NE winds brought snow flurries to 1545 and snow between 1545 and 1645 that obscured the ridges. After 1700 the ridges were clear with 60% cumulus cloud cover that gave mostly sunny conditions. A total of 12 migrants of 3 species were seen: 1a Bald Eagle, 1u Northern Goshawk and 10 Golden Eagles (8a, 1j, 1u). Nine birds moved before 1545 and only 3 after 1700. No resident eagles were seen today.

5.25 hours (110.3) BAEA 1 (149), NOGO 1 (4), GOEA 10 (186) TOTAL 12 (435)

Friday, October 25 Vicki Ridge [Day 33] 0830-1630 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0830 was 8C, the high at 1300 and 1400 was 14C and it was 11C when the count was ended at 1630. Winds were strong W-WSW all day 50-60 gusting 90 km/h to 1100 that peaked at 70-90 gusting 115 km/h at 1200 and 1300 after which it diminished to 40-50 gusting 60-75 km/h. Cloud cover was 20-50% cumulus and altostratus that was mainly to the west to 1430 and gave sunny conditions, but for the rest of the day dark stratocumulus quickly developed that brought light rain after 1500 and moderate rain and hail at 1630 that brought observation to an end for the day. A total of 28 migrant raptors of 5 species were seen between 0855 and 1614 that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (1a, 2j, 1u), 1a Northern Goshawk, 2a Red-tailed Hawks (1 light calurus and 1 dark harlani), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 20 Golden Eagles (19a, 1sa). Ten of the Golden Eagles were seen between 1008 and 1050 and only 4 migrants moved after 1300. The juvenile light morph harlani Red-tailed Hawk that was observed yesterday was again seen hunting in the area on four occasions between 0921 and 1256. Other birds were scarce and comprised 1u Northern Shrike, 1 Steller’s Jay, 2 Black-billed Magpies, 17 Common Ravens, and 1 female Pine Grosbeak.

8 hours (316.2) BAEA 4 (208), NOGO 1 (60), RTHA 2 (134), RLHA 1 (367), GOEA 20 (2480) TOTAL 28 (3959)

Friday, October 25 Steeples [Day 24] 1300-1730 (Vance Mattson). At 1300 the temperature was 14C, winds were strong S and cloud cover was 100% cumulus, altostratus and lenticular which reduced to 80% altostratus and cumulus by 1500 and thickened again with rain between 1600 and 1615. At 1700 heavy dark stratocumulus cloud arrived from the north that mostly obscured the ridges. A total of 5 migrant eagles moved between 1341 and 1544 that comprised 1a Bald Eagle and 4a Golden Eagles that flew south into the strong headwind. Resident Golden Eagles were seen on three occasions and a non-migrant adult Bald Eagle glided to the NW into the valley.

4.5 hours (105) BAEA 1 (148), GOEA 4 (176) TOTAL 5 (423)

Thursday, October 24 Vicki Ridge [Day 32] 0830-1845 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0830 was 3C, the high was 9.5C at 1400 and it was 6.5C at the end of observation. Winds were strong W-WSW all day 30-50 gusting to 70 km/h in the late morning and 50-60 km/h in the afternoon. Cloud cover was 70-100% varying combinations of altostratus, altocumulus, cirrus and cirrostratus with some dark cumulus developing in the west late in the afternoon. There was a moderate but fairly persistent raptor movement of 50 birds of 6 species between 1010 and 1825 that comprised 1sa Bald Eagle, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2a), 5 Northern Goshawks (3a, 2u), 1j light morph harlani Red-tailed Hawk that hunted and perched in the area between 1256 and 1710, 6 Rough-legged Hawks (4 light, 1 dark, 1u) and 34 Golden Eagles (33a, 1sa). The highest single-hour count was 11 between 1100 and 1200, and 27 of the birds moved before 1300. Other birds seen were 1 male Downy Woodpecker, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 3 Black-billed Magpies, 19 Common Ravens, 2 female Pine Grosbeaks and 300 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10.25 hours (308.2) BAEA 1 (204), SSHA 3 (504), NOGO 5 (59), RTHA 1 (132), RLHA 6 (366), GOEA 34 (2460) TOTAL 50 (3931)

Thursday, October 24 Steeples [Day 23] 1300-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 6C, winds were moderate to strong W and cloud cover was 100% altostratus. No migrants were seen, but the resident pair of Golden Eagles made a single flight across the ridge.

4 hours (100.5) TOTAL 0 (418)

Wednesday, October 23 Vicki Ridge [Day 31] 0830-1815 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson,  observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen  (1305-1545) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 0C the high from 1100 to 1500 was 4C and it was 0C at 0815 when observation ceased. Winds were upslope all day, light ESE-SE in the morning and then SE-NE 20 km/h to 1700 after which they were light again. Cloud cover was 100% low stratus to 1030 that substantially obscured the ridges which did not completely clear until 1020, after which there was 50-80% cumulus cloud that thickened to 90-100% cumulus and altostratus to 1800 which produced snow that obscured the ridges between 1730 and 1745; at the end of the day it cleared to 60% stratocumulus and cumulus. The conditions produced a weak and sporadic raptor movement of 33 birds of 7 species between 1049 and 1752 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 1 juvenile female Northern Harrier, 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 4u), 1a Northern Goshawk, 1a dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawk, 14 Rough-legged Hawks (10 light, 1 dark , 3u) and 8 Golden Eagles (3a, 2j, 3u). The total includes 1u Rough-legged Hawk and 3u Golden Eagles seen between 1307 and 1529 from the Waterton 68 wellsite. All 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks were seen between 1439 and 1444 and 8 of the 14 Rough-legged Hawks moved between 1503 and 1511. This is the 5^th successive day since October 19 that the count at the site has diminished. Other birds seen were 1 Downy Woodpecker, 5 Canada Jays, 1 Steller’s Jay, 7 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 4 Black-billed Magpies, 16 Common Ravens, 66 Bohemian Waxwings, 4 female Pine Grosbeaks and 100 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

9.75 hours (297.9) BAEA 3 (203), NOHA 1 (11), SSHA 5 (501), NOGO 1 (54), RTHA 1 (131), RLHA 14 (360), GOEA 8 (2426) TOTAL 33 (3881)

Wednesday, October 23 Steeples [Day 22] 1630-1745 (Vance Mattson). It was a sunny clear day but because of teaching commitments Vance could only be at the site at the end of the day when the temperature was 9C, it was calm and cloud cover was 50% cumulus. Two adult migrant Bald Eagles were seen and the resident juvenile Golden Eagle soared above the ridge.

1.25 hours (96.5) BAEA 2 (147) TOTAL 2 (418)