Monday, March 16 Beaver Mines [Day 21] 0730-2000 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0730 was -12C, the high from 1400 to 1800 was 1C and it was  -3C at 2000. Winds were W-NW 10-18 km/h to 1400 after which they were variable and light (0-8 km/h) for the rest of the day. There was 40% stratus cloud cover at 0700 after which it was cloudless all day. The light winds again produced a very poor raptor movement with only 3 birds, 1 subadult Bald Eagle and 2 adult Golden Eagles recorded between 1702 and 1705. The birds soared high above the ridge before flapping to the NW. At the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre in the Crowsnest Pass, however, Trevor Lewis saw 32 eagles moving to the north along the Livingstone Ridge in 16 minutes around 1600 with the birds probably originating from the Carbondale Ridge to the west of the Beaver Mines site. A strong eagle movement also occurred at Mount Lorette where Blake Weis saw a season high 177 birds that comprised 5 Bald Eagles and 172 Golden Eagles. Other birds seen here were 8 Rock Pigeons, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Shrike, that was the first at the site this season, 1 Steller’s Jay, 4 Black-billed Magpies, 49 Common Ravens, 8 Black-capped Chickadees, 12 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 White-breasted Nuthatch, 10 European Starlings, 6 Evening Grosbeaks, 25 Pine Grosbeaks, 1 American Tree Sparrow and 22 Dark-eyed Juncos (1 hyemalis, 1 cismontanus and 25 montanus). On March 15 Connie Simmons saw the area’s first Varied Thrush along the Gladstone Valley Road.

12.5 hours (228.5) BAEA 1 (105), GOEA 2 (274) TOTAL 3 (430)

Monday, March 16 Steeples [Day 12] 1530-1900 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 4C and conditions were calm, cloudless and sunny which produced low gliding flight and offered excellent views of 21 migrants that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), the season’s first migrant Red-tailed Hawk, an adult light morph of the race calurus that was the last bird seen at 1849, and a season-high 18 Golden Eagles (16a, 2j), the first of which was moving across the ridge as Vance arrived at the site. No resident birds were seen.

3.5 hours (38.25) BAEA 2 (20), RTHA 1 (1), GOEA 18 (75) TOTAL 21 (97)

Monday, April 22 Mount Lorette [Day 51] 0700-1845 (Blake Weis, assisted by Eric Langshaw). The starting temperature was 3C, the high was 15C from 1600 to 1800 and it was 12C at the end of the count. Ground winds were SSW to 1500 0-5 gusting up to 35 km/h, and SE-SW 5-10 gusting to 48 km/h for the rest of the day; ridge winds were SW all day, moderate to strong to 1300 after which they were strong to very strong. Cloud cover was 20-30% cirrus to 0900 and then 50-100% variable mixtures of cirrus, cirrostratus, altocumulus, cirrocumulus, cumulus and lenticular cloud with stratocumulus developing from the west after 1800, that 30% obscured the western mountains and brought rain that ended the count at 1845. Otherwise, the ridges were clear all day. The last day of the count saw a migration of 8 raptors of 5 species between 1134 and 1815 that comprised 1 Osprey, that was the only bird seen on the western route, 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 2u Golden Eagles and one medium-sized unidentified distant raptor. Apart from the Osprey all birds moved above the Fisher Range ridge or above the eastern side of the valley at variable heights, and 4 of the birds were seen between 1300 and 1400. A resident adult Northern Goshawk displayed above Olympic Summit at 0920, an adult Red-tailed Hawk was seen hunting on three occasions over Hummingbird Plume Hill and a resident adult Golden Eagle hunted on the SW flank of Mount Lorette at 1235. Other birds recorded in the area were 3 Canada Geese, 1 pair of Mallards, 1 male Common Merganser, 4 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 1 Wilson’s Snipe, 1 male Belted Kingfisher (the first of the season), 1 pair of Downy Woodpeckers, 1 pair of Northern Flickers, 6 Common Ravens, 6 Black-capped Chickadees, 9 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, a pair of American Dippers at Troll Falls, 5 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 1 pair of Mountain Bluebirds, 18 American Robins, 26 European Starlings, 1 American Pipit, 3 Pine Siskins, 1 singing Fox Sparrow, 2 Savannah Sparrows that were the first of the season, 2 Song Sparrows, 2 female Red-winged Blackbirds and 2 male Yellow-rumped Warblers (1 “Audubon’s” and 1 of undetermined race) that were also new for the season. Seven White-tailed Deer fed in the meadow in the morning, and the last day of the count saw 43 visitors at the site.

11.75 hours (592.9) OSPR 1 (3), SSHA 2 (11), COHA 1 (2), RTHA 1 (17), GOEA 2 (2134), UU 1 (5) TOTAL 8 (2460)

Mount Lorette April 1-22 summary (With variance from the long-term 1993-2018 22-year average, that excludes the anomalously low counts in 2008-2010 and 2012 which are considered invalid). 22 days (+4.1%), 272.3 hours (+11.7%), TUVU 1 (+633.1%), OSPR 3 (+61%), BAEA 87 (+22.5%), NOHA 5 (+27.9%), SSHA 10 (-54%), COHA 2 (-66.4%), NOGO 12 (-4.8%), UA 1 (+37.1%), BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 15 (-41.7%), FEHA 0, RLHA 11 (-21.7%), UB 3 (+127.6%), GOEA 834 (+66.9%) which is the highest April count since 2002, UE 7 (+366.7%), AMKE 0, MERL 5 (+12.2%), GYRF 0, PEFA 0, PRFA 0, UF 0, UU 2 (+51.7%) TOTAL 998 (+48.9%) of 11 species, which is the highest April count since 2002.

 Mount Lorette spring 2019 summary March 1-April 22 (With variance from the long-term 1993-2018 22-year average, that excludes the anomalously low counts in 2008-2010 and 2012 which are considered invalid). 51 days (+2,5%), 592.9 hours (+6.8%), TUVU 1 (+340%), OSPR 3 (+61%), BAEA 209 (+14.5%), NOHA 5 (+7.8%), SSHA 1 (-54.9%), COHA 2 (-69.9%), NOGO 18 (-20.5%), UA 1 (-51.1%), BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 17 (-44.3%), FEHA 0, RLHA 15 (-22.5%), UB 3 (+43.5%), GOEA 2134 (-26.6% and the second lowest spring count ever), UE 26 (+434.6%), AMKE 0, MERL 6 (-10.8%), GYRF 1 (-35.3%), PEFA 0, PRFA 2 (-4.3%), UF 1 (+15.8%), UU 5 (+16191%) TOTAL 2460 (-23.7%) of 13 species.

Monday, April 22 Beaver Mines [Day 51] 0600-2100 (Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0600 was 7C, dropped to the day’s low of 6C at 1700 before rising to a high of 16 C at 1300 and 1400 and again at 1600, and it was still 11C at 2100. Winds were W-WSW 15-25 gusting 40 km/h to 0900 after which they were strong W-WSW all day, 40-60 gusting to 85 km/h. Cloud cover was 100% cirrostratus and cirrocumulus to 1200, reduced to 80% cirrocumulus, cirrus and cirrostratus at 1300 and was mainly 100% stratus, lenticular, altocumulus and cumulus form the rest of the day, giving excellent viewing conditions throughout. There was a surprisingly strong and varied raptor migration for the last day of the count with 79 birds of a site record 16 species moving between 0757 and 2034. The flight comprised a site-record 4 Turkey Vultures (2a, 2u), 1 Osprey, 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 2j), 6 Northern Harriers (3 males: 2a, 1j, 2 females: 1a, 1j, and 1u), 10 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 9u), 2 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1u), 4 Northern Goshawks (2a, 2u), 3 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 2u), 1 juvenile light morph Swainson’s Hawk, 4 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2a, 2u), 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 32 Golden Eagles (6a, 7sa, 15j, 4u), 2 American Kestrels (1 male, 1u), 1u columbarius Merlin, 1 adult female Peregrine Falcon and 2 Prairie Falcons (1 male, and 1 female that was the last bird of the spring 2019 count at 2034). Birds moved steadily all day and the highest hourly counts were 10 (1000-1100, 1400-1500 and 1800-1900). Resident birds were a pair of Northern Harriers, 3 pairs of Red-tailed Hawks and 1 adult Golden Eagle. Other birds seen were 2 pairs of Canada Geese, 1 pair of Wood Ducks, 11 Mallards, 1 pair of Green-winged Teal, 2 Common Mergansers, 10 Rock Pigeons, the first Common Loon of the year that flew high to the SW at 1812, 1 male Northern Flicker, 1 Blue Jay, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 1 American Crow, 23 Common Ravens, 6 Tree Swallows, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire, 4 American Robins, 6 European Starlings, 11 Evening Grosbeaks, 8 Pine Siskins and 4 male Red-winged Blackbirds. It was an excellent end to what has otherwise generally been a poor and frustrating count.

15 hours (631.3) TUVU 4 (6), OSPR 1 (2), BAEA 5 (225), NOHA 6 (35), SSHA 10 (47), COHA 2 (7), NOGO 4 (33), BWHA 3 (5), SWHA 1 (3), RTHA 4 (120), RLHA 1 (30), GOEA 32 (642), AMKE 2 (8), MERL 1 (16), PEFA 1 (6), PRFA 2 (10) TOTAL 79 (1216)

Beaver Mines April 1-22 summary (With percentage variance from the 4-year average 2015-2018). 22 days (+7.3%), 295.5 hours (+57.5%), TUVU  (+1100%), OSPR 2 (-42.9%), BAEA 94 (-4.1%), NOHA 31 (-23.5%), SSHA 44 (-20.7%), COHA 7 (-40.4%), NOGO 20 (+9.6%), UA 0, BWHA 5 (+42.9%), SWHA 3 (+20%), RTHA 111 (-26.9%), FEHA 5 (+81.8%), RLHA 15 (+41.2%), UB 6 (-35.1%), GOEA 289 (+48.4%), UE 2 (+300%), AMKE 8 (+3.2%), MERL 14 (+80.6%), GYRF 2 (+33.3%), PEFA 5 (-28.6%), PRFA 6 (+140%), UF 0, UU 0 TOTAL 675 (+3.3%) of 18 species.

Beaver Mines spring 2018 summary February 25-April 22 (With percentage variance from the 4-year average 2015-2018). 51 days (+1%), 631.3 hours (+48.4%), TUVU 6 (+360%), OSPR 2 (-42.9%), BAEA 225 (-19.6%), NOHA 35 (-31.4%), SSHA 47 (-31.6%), COHA 7 (-47.2%), NOGO 33 (-38.3%), UA 0, BWHA 5 (-47.4%), SWHA 3 (+9.1%), RTHA 120 (-42.2%), FEHA 5 (-9.1%), RLHA 30 (-67.4%), UB 7 (-52.5%), GOEA 642 (-67.4%), UE 2 (-20%), AMKE 8 (-23.8%), MERL 15 (+4.9%), GYRF 6 (=), PEFA 6 (-29.4%), PRFA 10 (+53.8%), UF 0, UU 1 (-69.2%) TOTAL 1216 (-40.4%) of 18 species.

Monday, April 22 Steeples [Day 42] 1200-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 14C, winds were moderate S and cloud cover was 100% altostratus and dark cumulus. A very slow April ended in the same manner with just two migrants seen: 1 juvenile Golden Eagle at 1510 and 1 subadult Bald Eagle at 1722. Non-migrants were 14 Turkey Vultures, 1 juvenile Bald Eagle, 4 Red-tailed Hawks and 2 sightings of adult Golden Eagles that included one hunting stoop from high altitude.

6 hours (206) BAEA 1 (219), GOEA 1 (455) TOTAL 2 (699)

Steeples April summary (With percentage variance from the 9-year average 2010-2018). 16 days (+38.5%), 75.25 hours (+67.2%), TUVU 0, OSPR 0, BAEA 29 (+2%), NOHA 0, SSHA 1 (-76.3%), COHA 0, NOGO 0, UA 0, BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 4 (-52.6%), FEHA 0, RLHA 1 (-36.7%), UB 0, GOEA 33 (-8.3%), UE 1, AMKE 1 (-10%), MERL 0, GYRF 0, PEFA 0, PRFA 0, UF 0, UU 0 TOTAL 70 (-24.5%) of 18 species. 

Steeples spring 2018 summary (With percentage variance from the 9-year average 2010-2018). 42 days (+28.6%), 206 hours (+56.4%), TUVU 3 (-67.5%), OSPR 0, BAEA 219 (+61.7%), NOHA 1 (+50%), SSHA 2 (-66%), COHA 0, NOGO 0, UA 0, BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 8 (-32.1%), FEHA 0, RLHA 3 (-15.6%), UB 0, GOEA 455 (+31.7%), UE 7 (+200%), AMKE 1 (-18.2%), MERL 0, GYRF 0, PEFA 0, PRFA 0, UF 0, UU 0 TOTAL 699 (+34.3%) of 8 species.

Sunday, April 21 Mount Lorette [Day 50] 0615-2115 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson). The temperature at 0615 was -3C, the high from 1600 to 1800 was 13C and it was 4C at 2115. Ground winds were SW-SSE all day, 0-6 km/h to 1000, 5-10 gusting to 28 km/h to 1800 and then 2-5 km/h for the rest of the day; ridge winds were SW all day, light to moderate to 1100 and then then moderate to the end of observation. It was cloudless to 1300 when 40-100% thin to moderate altostratus developed that gave excellent viewing conditions for the rest of the day. The ridges were completely clear. There was a strong raptor movement for so late in the season with a total of 56 birds of 6 species moving between 1053 and 2032 that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 1 late subadult and 1 undifferentiated immature bird), a season-high 4 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1j, 3u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk that was the first of the season, 3 Northern Goshawks (1a, 2u), 3 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks and 41 Golden Eagles (5a, 2sa, 11j, 23u). Both the combined species and the Golden Eagle counts are the highest since April 8. The first Golden Eagle was not seen until 1423, 15 moved between 1500 and 1600, 11 between 1900 and 2000 and 4 between 2000 and 2032.Most movement was on the western route to 1800 after which the birds glided high from the Fisher range to Mount Lorette. Four non-migrant Bald Eagles (2a, 2sa) moved to the south, single adult Northern Goshawks were seen on 2 occasions, at least 2 resident Red-tailed hawks were present and there were 4 sightings of single resident Golden Eagles including 3 display flights between 1700 and 1900, and the pair performed a talon-clasping fall to the south of Olympic Summit at 1830. Other birds recorded in the area were 3 Canada Geese on the river and a flock of 25 that flew high to the NE at 1740, 6 Mallards, a pair of Common Goldeneyes, 1 male Common Merganser, 5 Ruffed Grouse of which 4 were drumming, 1 Great Horned Owl that called east of the site at 0755, 1 female American Three-toed Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 American Crow, 40 Common Ravens, 1 Tree Swallow, 2 Violet-green Swallows, 4 unidentified swallows, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 1 singing  Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Mountain Bluebird, 2 singing Varied Thrushes, 4 American Robins, 2 Pine Siskins, 1 singing Fox Sparrow, 1 singing Song Sparrow, 2 Dark-eyed Juncos, 1 of which was cismontanus, and 1 male Rusty Blackbird. Six White-tailed Deer fed in the meadow late in the evening, and there were 45 visitors to the site today including 10 from the Edmonton Nature Club that unfortunately left just before the influx of Golden Eagles.

15 hours (581.2) BAEA 4 (209), SSHA 4 (9), COHA 1 (1), NOGO 3 (18), RTHA 3 (16), GOEA 41 (2132) TOTAL 56 (2452)

Sunday, April 21 Beaver Mines [Day 50] 0630-2100 (Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson).  The temperature at 0630 was 0C the high at 1500 and again at 1700 and 1800 was 15C and it was still 10C at 2100. Winds were W 5-15 km/h to 0830, ESE-SSE 10-15 km/h to 1630 and then SSW-WSW 15-20 gusting 30 km/h for the rest of the day. It was cloudless to 1000, and then variably 20-50% cumulus to 1815 after which it was again cloudless for the rest of the day. There was a persistent and varied raptor movement involving 38 birds of 12 species between 1019 and 1955 that comprised 6 Bald Eagles (2a, 4j), 1 adult female Northern Harrier, 3u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1a Cooper’s Hawk, 1a Northern Goshawk, 2u light morph Swainson’s Hawks that were the first for the season, 6 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (5 light morphs: 4a, 1j, and 1 adult dark morph), 1 adult light morph Ferruginous Hawk, 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 1 unidentified Buteo, 11 Golden Eagles (1a, 2sa, 6j, 2u), 1 female American Kestrel and 1 male columbarius Merlin. Maximum hourly passage was 7 between 1300 and 1400. The resident male Northern Harrier displayed at 1131 and there were numerous sightings of up to 6 resident Red-tailed Hawks between 0941 and 1967. Other birds seen were a pair of Canada Geese, 1 pair of Wood Ducks, 5 Mallards, 10 Rock Pigeons, 1 pair of Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 male Northern Flicker, 2 Blue Jays, 5 Black-billed Magpies,  12 American Crows, 25 Common Ravens, 10 Tree Swallows, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 4 American Robins, 40 European Starlings, 21 Evening Grosbeaks, 1 female Cassin’s Finch, 10 Pine Siskins and 5 Red-winged Blackbirds (3 males and 2 females).

14.5 hours (616.3) BAEA 6 (220), NOHA 1 (29), SSHA 3 (37), COHA 1 (5), NOGO 1 (29), SWHA 2 (2), RTHA 6 (116), FEHA 1 (5), RLHA 3 (29), UB 1 (7), GOEA 11 (610), AMKE 1 (6), MERL 1 (15) TOTAL 38 (1137)

Sunday, April 21 Steeples [Day 41] 1300-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 15C, conditions were calm and cloud cover of 10-20% cumulus and cirrus gave continuous sunshine. Only two migrants were seen: 1 juvenile Bald Eagle at 1528, and 1 juvenile Golden Eagle at 1423 that was the first migrant bird of the species seen at the site since April 6. Non-migrants were 20 Turkey Vultures that included a kettle of 7 birds, 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1u Northern Goshawk and 3 sightings of single Red-tailed Hawks.

4.5 hours (200) BAEA 1 (218), GOEA 1 (454) TOTAL 2 (697)

[NOTE: tomorrow will be the last day of the spring 2019 count at all three sites.]

Saturday, April 20 Mount Lorette [Day 49] 0705-2015 (Blake Weis, assisted by Ruth Morrow). The starting temperature was 0C, the high was 8C at 1700 and 1800 and it was 6C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW 0-5 km/h to 1000, N-NW 0-5 gusting 20 km/h to 1900 and N-NW 0-10 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were moderate SW all day. Cloud cover was 100% low stratus and fog that obscured all ridges to 1000 when it began to break to 90% stratocumulus, cumulus, cirrus and stratus and further reduced to 70% at 1500,, and was then 70-80% cumulus, cirrus, altocumulus and cirrocumulus for the rest of the day. The eastern ridges did not fully clear until 1700 and the west not until 1800, but the only precipitation was light snow flurries between 1100 and 1200. Locating conditions were excellent after 1000 and resulted in the highest count since April 12 that comprised 33 migrants of 6 species seen between 1117 and 1952. The count was 2 Ospreys that were the first of the season. 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 2sa), a season-high 4 adult Northern Harriers (3 males, 1 female), 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 4 Rough-legged Hawks (3 light, 1 dark), 2 unidentified Buteos, 15 Golden Eagles (3a, 2sa, 9j, 1u) and 1 unidentified eagle. Birds moved fairly steadily throughout and peaked between 1800 and 1900 when 1 Osprey and 8 Golden Eagles were seen. Most birds were seen over the western part of the valley to 1400 after which they were mainly located above the Fisher Range although some eagles seen over Mount Lorette later in the day may have originated from Wasootch Creek north of the Fisher Range. Resident birds were 1 adult Bald Eagle that flew south from Mount Old Baldy at 1400, 3 sightings of single adult Northern Goshawks and 1 calling from the nest site, three sightings of single soaring Red-tailed Hawks and 1 adult Golden Eagle that soared high above the Fisher Range at 1555 before gliding high to the south. Other birds in the area were 4 Canada Geese, 5 Mallards, 3 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 1 Killdeer, 1 Wilson’s Snipe that performed its winnowing display flight for the first time this season early in the morning, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 4 Northern Flickers, 12 Common Ravens, 3 Tree Swallows, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 6 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 6 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 3 American Dippers 2 of which were seen at Troll Falls, 10 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 2 male and 1 female Mountain Bluebirds, 6 singing Varied Thrushes, 39 American Robins including a single flock of 13, 2 American Pipits, 1 White winged Crossbill, 2 Red Crossbills, 7 Pine Siskins, 1 singing Fox Sparrow, 4 Song Sparrows, 16 Dark-eyed Juncos, 1 of which was hyemalis and 3 montanus, and 1 male Red-winged Blackbird. Three White-tailed Deer fed in the meadow late in the evening, 3 Bighorn Sheep were seen on Olympic Summit and there were fresh tracks of Canada Lynx and Black Bear in the 2cm of snow that had fallen overnight. There were 15 visitors to the site today.

13.16 hours (566.2) OSPR 2 (2), BAEA 3 (205), NOHA 4 (5), RTHA 2 (13), RLHA 4 (15), GOEA 15 (2091), UB 2 (3), UE 1 (26) TOTAL 33 (2396)

Saturday, April 20 Beaver Mines [Day 49] 0630-2030 (Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0630 was 2C, the high was 7C at 1700 and it was 5C at 2030. Winds were calm or light (<5 km/h) to 1400, then NE 10 km/h and finally SW-W 10-15 km/h after 1900. Cloud cover was 100% stratus almost throughout the day that began to break at 2015 and reduced to 80% cumulus at 2030. Steady light and occasionally moderate rain started falling at 0840 and persisted to 1550 after which there were further periods of rain to 1820, and the ridge was obscured between 0930 and 1200. There was a compressed raptor movement of 12 birds of 7 species between 1503 and 1752 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 2j), 2 adult Northern Harriers (1 female and 1 male), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 light morph juvenile Ferruginous Hawk, 1 subadult Golden Eagle and 2 female columbarius Merlins (1a, 1u). Six of the birds were seen between 1503 and 1600 and 4 between 1711 and 1752. Resident birds were a pair of Northern Harriers and 2 pairs of Red-tailed Hawks that hunted low above the bottom of the valley, a non-migrant juvenile Northern Goshawk that made three low hunting passes at a group of Mallards on the creek, the third of which was presumably successful as it failed to re-appear from the willow shrub behind which it dived at 1943, and a male Prairie Falcon hunted songbirds in the rain near the site at 1215. Other birds were 1 Greater White-fronted Goose that flew to the NE above the valley at 1910, a pair of  Canada Geese, 2 pairs of Wood Ducks, 12 Mallards, 1 pair of Green-winged Teal, a pair of Common Mergansers that flew high to the north at 1732, 9 Rock Pigeons, a pair of Sandhill Cranes that fed by the creek at 1518, 2 pairs of Downy Woodpeckers, 1 pair of Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 pair of  Northern Flickers, 4 Blue Jays, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 5 American Crows, 11 Common Ravens, 14 Tree Swallows most of which flew high towards the SW, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 American Dipper that flew high to the NE above the creek at 2028, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 5 American Robins, 88 European Starlings, 32 Evening Grosbeaks, 2 female Cassin’s Finches, 10 Pine Siskins and 11 male Red-winged Blackbirds that included 5 females which were the first seen here this year.

14 hours (601.8) BAEA 3 (214), NOHA 2 (28), SSHA 1 (34), RTHA 2 (110), FEHA 1 (4), GOEA 1 (599), MERL 2 (14) TOTAL 12 (1099)

Saturday, April 20 Steeples [Day 40] 1300-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 15C, winds were moderate N and cloud cover was 100% thin altostratus and cumulus that reduced to 40% cumulus and produced mainly sunny conditions. The 6 migrants seen comprised 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 2j) and 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, with 3 of the Bald Eagles moving between 1545 and 1600. Non-migrants were 11 Turkey Vultures, 4 Bald Eagles (1a, 3j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, three sightings of single Red-tailed Hawks including one that displayed, and 1 juvenile Golden Eagle that was intensely harried by a Red-tailed Hawk but remained entirely aloof throughout a series of bombing flights.

5 hours (195.5) BAEA 5 (217), SSHA 1 (2) TOTAL 6 (695)

Friday, April 19 Mount Lorette [Day 48] 0715-1600 (Cliff Hansen, assisted by Rick Robb). The temperature at 0715 was 7C, the high was 9C between 1000 and 1200 and it was 4C when the count was abandoned for the day in the rain at 1600. Winds were light (<5 km/h) at the Hay Meadow site, where the 100% stratus cloud cover produced light rain and descended to substantially cover the ridges by 0900 when the observers decided to relocated to the Lusk Creek site. There winds were NW 5-10 gusting 25 km/h, cloud cover was 100% stratus and cumulus and the ridges were clear, but rain started at 1200 and by 1300 all ridges were obscured. One resident adult calurus Red-tailed Hawk was seen, but there were no migrants. Other birds at the Hay Meadow were 6 Canada Geese, a pair of Mallards, 1 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 1 Northern Flicker, 2 Common Ravens, 1 male Mountain Bluebird, 6 American Robins, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch and 1u Dark-eyed Junco. At Lusk Creek other birds were 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 singing Townsend’s Solitaire, 1 American Robin and 6 singing Dark-eyed Juncos. One visitor stopped by the Lusk Creek site.

8.75 hours (553) TOTAL 0 (2363)

Friday, April 19 Beaver Mines [Day 48] 0630-2030 (Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0630 was 12C that rose to a season-high 19C at 1330 before quickly dropping down to 9C at 2030. Winds were strong W-WSW 45-55 gusting 80 km/h to 1700 after which they moderated to 20-30 gusting 40 km/h. Cloud cover was 0-20% cumulus to 1200 when it thickened to 60% altocumulus, altostratus, cirrus and cumulus and throughout the afternoon it was 90-100% altostratus, stratus and cumulus that brought light to moderate rain between 1500 and 1830 and then occasional showers for the rest of the day. There was a fairly varied raptor movement involving 20 birds of 7 species between 0932 and 1456 when rain stopped migration which did not restart despite seemingly ideal migration conditions after 1830. The count was 1 adult Turkey Vulture, 1 adult female Northern Harrier, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2u), the first 2 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 1u) of the season that soared high above the centre of the valley with a Golden Eagle at 1248, 5 Red-tailed Hawks (2a and 2u calurus light, and 1 dark adult harlani), 7 Golden Eagles (3a, 2sa, 1j, 1u) and 1u columbarius Merlin. The resident Northern Harrier pair hunted throughout the day and up to 4 resident Red-tailed Hawks were seen hunting before the rain started. Other birds seen in the area were a pair of  Canada Geese and 8 that flew high to the SW in 2 flocks, 2 pairs of Wood Ducks, 3 pairs of  Mallards and 3 pairs of Green-winged Teal, 12 Rock Pigeons, 1 pair of Downy Woodpeckers, 1 pair of  Northern Flickers, 4 Blue Jays, 2 Black-billed Magpies, 6 American Crows, 8 Common Ravens, 1 pair of Tree Swallows, 8 American Robins, 5 European Starlings, 15 Evening Grosbeaks, 10 Pine Siskins and 4 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

14 hours (587.8) TUVU 1 (2), NOHA 1 (26), SSHA 3 (33), BWHA 2 (2), RTHA 5 (108), GOEA 7 (598) MERL 1 (12) TOTAL 20 (1087)

Friday, April 19 Steeples (Vance Mattson) NO OBSERVATION (weather). It was a rainy and overcast day. The mountains partially cleared by 1700 but there was little prospect of raptor movement so Vance decided not to visit the site.