Saturday, April 13 Mount Lorette [Day 42] 0715-1810 (Blake Weis, assisted by Patrick Farley). The temperature at 0715 was -2C, the high at 1800 and 1900 was 8C and it was 5C at the end of observation. Ground winds were S-SW all day, 0-5 gusting 15 km/h to 1000 and again after 1800, but gusting to 25 km/h for most of the day, while ridge winds were WSW moderate to strong to 1800 after which they were moderate. Cloud cover was 40% altocumulus, cumulus and cirrus at the start that thickened to 100% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus after 1000 with the addition of lenticular and cirrus clouds after 1600. The western ridges were 10% obscured after 1400 and there were occasional very light flurries between 1400 and 1700. The conditions produced 20 migrant raptors of 4 species from 1035 to 1834 comprising 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa, 1u), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 13 Golden Eagles (2a, 1sa, 5j, 5u) and 2u Merlins. The highest hourly count was 6 between 1300 and 1400 and 3 of the Bald Eagles along with the last Golden Eagle were seen between 1800 and 1834. Apart from the Sharp-shinned Hawk and 1 Bald Eagle that flew above the valley and 1 Golden Eagle on the western route all birds glided at ridge level or higher from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette. Three non-migrant Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) were seen, the resident pair of Northern Goshawks soared to the north of the site at 1120 where the male displayed, a resident Red-tailed Hawk soared above Hummingbird Plume Hill at 1235, and the resident Golden Eagle pair glided south above the Fisher Range to Mount McDougall at 1255 where the male displayed. Other birds noted were 4 Canada Geese on the river, 6 Mallards, a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye that were new for the year, 1 male Common Merganser, 3 Ruffed Grouse, one of which drummed, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 3 Northern Flickers, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, 5 American Crows, 15 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Brown Creeper, 3 male Mountain Bluebirds, 1 singing Varied Thrush, 10 American Robins, the first American Pipit of the season, 11 Red Crossbills that flew south in a single flock, 1 White winged Crossbill, 1 Pine Siskin, 1 Song Sparrow and 8 Dark-eyed Juncos, 1 of which was cismontanus. Five White-tailed Deer fed in the meadow in the evening and there were 27 visitors at the site today.

10.92 hours (477.5) BAEA 4 (199), SSHA 1 (5), GOEA 13 (2041), MERL 2 (6) TOTAL 20 (2319)

Saturday, April 13 Beaver Mines [Day 42] 0645-2015 (Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was 2C, reached a high of 9C at 1400 and was 5C at 2015. Winds were WSW and occasionally W 20-30 gusting to 60 km/h all day and cloud cover was 60-80% cumulus and cirrostratus to 0900 and then 100% cirrostratus and cumulus for the rest of the day with lenticular clouds developing after 1800. Observing and migration conditions were excellent and produced a fairly strong mid-April raptor movement of 52 birds between 0825 and 1925 that involved a season-high 13 species. The count was 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), 3 Northern Harriers (1 adult male, 2 females: 1j, 1u), 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1a Cooper’s Hawk, 1a Northern Goshawk, 7a calurus Red-tailed Hawks (5 light, 2 dark), 1a light morph Ferruginous Hawk, 3 Rough-legged Hawks (2 light, 1 dark), 1 unidentified Buteo, 24 Golden Eagles (12a, 5sa, 7j), 1 male American Kestrel (the first of the season), 4 columbarius Merlins (2 males, 2 females), 1u Peregrine Falcon and 1 Prairie Falcon that was the last migrant of the day. Migration was consistent within the movement period with a high hourly count of 9 between 1000 and 1100, and the only hour without migrants was 1300-1400. An adult male Northern Harrier displayed once at 1159 and 3 resident Red-tailed Hawks soared together at 1130 and one or two birds were seen mainly hunting up to 1925. Other birds were 5 Canada Geese, 6 Mallards, 17 Rock Pigeons, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker,  4 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 4 American Crows, 49 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 4 American Robins, 22 European Starlings, 30 Evening Grosbeaks, 20 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 38  Pine Siskins, 1 cismontanus Dark-eyed Junco and 4 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

13.5 hours (504.5) BAEA 2 (182), NOHA 3 (16), SSHA 2 (18), COHA 1 (2), NOGO 1 (23), RTHA 7 (75), FEHA 1 (2), RLHA 3 (21), UB 1 (4), GOEA 24 (540), AMKE 1 (1), MERL 4 (7), PEFA 1 (4), PRFA 1 (7) TOTAL 52 (910)

Saturday, April 13 Steeples [Day 36] 1600-1730 (Vance Mattson). It was a rainy overcast day with 100% altostratus and dark cumulus, a temperature of 9C and strong S-SE winds. The ridges cleared briefly at 1530 but 1.5 hours of observation yielded no migrant raptors before it again clouded over and precipitation resumed. Non-migrants were 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j) and 1 adult Golden Eagle, all seen along the ridge.

1.5 hours (174.5) TOTAL 0 (688)

Friday, April 12 Mount Lorette [Day 41] 0815-2020 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rick Robb). The starting temperature was -1C, the high was 5C between 1500 and 1800, and it was 3C at 2020. Ground winds were N 0-10 km/h to 1700 after which they were SW gusting to 20 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were light to moderate W to 1700 then moderate W. Cloud cover was 100% stratus that brought light snow to 1200, 90-80% cumulus, altocumulus and altostratus to 1900 after which 40% towering cumulus clouds threatened a thunderstorm for the rest of the day. The east was 100% obscured to 1200, 40% to 1500, 20% to 1800 and then clear, and the west was 100% obscured to 1400, 80% to 1700 and 40% for the rest of the day. Despite the weather there was a fairly strong raptor movement of 34 birds of 4 species between 1135 and 1710 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa), a season-high 3 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2 light, 1 dark), 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 23 Golden Eagles (6a, 4sa, 8j, 5u) and 2 unidentified eagles. No birds were seen on the western route and only 2 over the Fisher Range and the rest of the birds were located at the northern end of Hummingbird Plume Hill and immediately south of Mount Lorette and appeared to originate from the Wasootch Creek area north of the Fisher Range. Raptors migrated steadily throughout the movement period with 6 seen between 1135 and 1200, 7 between 1200 and 1300, 1300 and 1400 and again between 1700 and 1710. Non-migrant birds were an adult Bald Eagle that hunted low over the river early in the morning and a juvenile hunted over Hummingbird Hill at 1500, a juvenile female Northern Harrier that hunted below Hummingbird Plume Hill at 1220, a Northern Goshawk hunting over Olympic Summit at 1520, the resident Golden Eagle pair that were seen flying between on three occasions between 1220 and 1800 and a subadult Golden Eagle that flew south from Hummingbird Hill at 1320. Other birds recorded were 5 Canada Geese, a pair of Mallards and a male Common Merganser on the river, 2 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 1 Killdeer, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Northern Flickers, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Canada Jay, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 10 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 American Dippers, 3 singing Varied Thrushes, 7 American Robins, 6 European Starlings, 10 White-winged Crossbills, 2 American Tree Sparrows, 1 Song Sparrow and 10 Dark-eyed Juncos. Five White-tailed Deer fed in the meadow late in the day and there were 7 visitors at the site today.

12.08 hours (466.6) BAEA 3 (195), RTHA 3 (9), RLHA 3 (11), GOEA 23 (2028) UE 2 (24) TOTAL 34 (2299)

Friday, April 12 Beaver Mines [Day 41] 0645-2045 (Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was 0C, the high at 1600 was 6C and it was 1C at 2045. Winds were light ENE to ESE with a light westerly flow aloft to 1830 when the winds switched to W-WSW 10-15 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1400 which brought light snow and light rain to 1320 and obscured the ridge to 0720. At 1355 the first small patches of blue sky appeared and cloud cover quickly thinned to 40-70% which gave sunny periods to 1830 when dark stratocumulus moved from the west that brought light snow and briefly obscured the ridge. By 1905 the skies had again cleared to 60% cumulus, altocumulus and cirrus and at 2045 the only cloud that remained was 10% altocumulus. The overcast and light wind conditions through most of the day produced only 5 migrant raptors: an adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk at 1444, an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk at 1559 and 3 unaged Golden Eagles that soared very high above the ridge at 1725 and probably reached the westerly upper flow before gliding high to the NW. A non-migrant subadult Bald Eagle that hunted Mallards on the creek between 1052 and 1115, and a displaying resident Red-tailed Hawk at 1556 were the only other raptors seen. Other birds in the area were 4 Canada Geese, 10 Mallards, 4 Wild Turkeys, 11 Rock Pigeons, 2 Great Blue Herons that were the first of the year, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, a pair of Northern Flickers,  5 Blue Jays, 7 Black-billed Magpies, 34 American Crows, 22 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 34 American Robins, 11 European Starlings, 50 Evening Grosbeaks, 1 female Cassin’s Finch, 30  Pine Siskins, 4 Dark-eyed Juncos (1 hyamelis, 1 cismontanus and 2 montanus) and 5 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

14 hours (491) SSHA 1 (16), RTHA 1 (68), GOEA 3 (516) TOTAL 5 (858)

Friday, April 12 Steeples [Day 35] 1230-1745 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C, it was mostly calm with periodic light to moderate SE winds, and 40-80% cumulus cloud cover that gave partially sunny conditions and brought light rain at 1700. No migrant raptors were seen although non-migrants were very common, especially Turkey Vultures (13) and Bald Eagles (20: 9a, 2sa, 9j). Other non-migrants were 1u Northern Harrier, 1 adult Northern Goshawk and 1 adult Golden Eagle. Between 1300 and 1330 3 adult and 4 juvenile Bald Eagles interacted vigorously with intense chasing, dive-bombing, barrel-rolling and soaring behaviour. The speed and agility of the big birds as they chased and avoided each other was impressive.

5.25 hours (173) TOTAL 0 (688)

Thursday, April 11 Mount Lorette [Day 40] 0745-1500 (Cliff Hansen, assisted by Rachel MacKay). The starting temperature was -1C, the high at 1100 and 1300 was only 3C and it was 2C when the count was abandoned for the day at 1500. Ground winds were very light (<5 km/h) and variable to 1100 then NE 5-10 gusting 15 km/h for the rest of the observation period. Ridge winds were light to moderate W to 1100 and NW-NNE to 1300, then moderate NNE to 1500. Very light snow fell at 0800 and there were snow showers from 1000 to 1200, but at 1400 steady snowfall began that became heavy at 1500. All ridges were initially 100% obscured but between 0900 and 1200 the east was 80-50% clear and the west 40-20% clear that gave the possibility of  raptor movement, but after 1200 all ridges were again completely obscured. No migrant or resident raptors were seen, but other birds recorded were 3 Canada Geese, a pair of Mallards and a pair of Common Mergansers on the river, 2 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 1 Wilson’s Snipe, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Northern Flickers, 2 Canada Jays, only 1 Common Raven, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 American Dipper, 1 male Mountain Bluebird, 5 singing Varied Thrushes, 8 American Robins, 1 Song Sparrow and 12 Dark-eyed Juncos. Five White-tailed Deer were on the Stoney Trail in the morning and a party of 23 staff and students from Dr. E. P. Scarlett High School in Calgary visited the site and learned, amongst many other things, the value of gathering contextual negative data!

7.52 hours (454.5) TOTAL 0 (2265)

Thursday, April 11 Beaver Mines [Day 40] 0700-2015 (Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The starting temperature was 2C, the high at 1600 was 10C and it was 3C at 2015 when observation ceased. Winds were moderate and variable SSW-NNW 15-25 gusting to 35 km/h to 1700 after which they were N-E 15-25 km/h. Cloud cover was 90-70% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus in the morning and 80-20% cumulus that gave mainly sunny conditions to 1800, after which 100% stratocumulus developed that brought light rain at 2015 which an hour later turned to heavy wet snow. There was a fairly strong raptor movement with 34 birds of 4 species seen between 0844 and 1938 that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1j) 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 9 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (8 light, 1 dark), I unidentified Buteo and 19 Golden Eagles (9a, 6sa, 3j, 1u). By 1400 28 birds had been counted and it appeared that a fairly substantial count was in the offing, but the next five hours only produced 3 further migrants and the last 3 birds moved between 1924 and 1938. Resident Red-tailed Hawks were conspicuous between 0948 and 1808 and there are now probably 2 pairs present, and a single adult resident Golden Eagle glided high to the south at 1058. Other birds recorded were 1 Mallard, 19 Rock Pigeons, 4 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 3 Blue Jays, 43 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 4 American Robins, 79 European Starlings, 23 Evening Grosbeaks, 10  Pine Siskins, 1 cismontanus Dark-eyed Junco and 3 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

13.25 hours (477) BAEA 4 (180), NOGO 1 (22), RTHA 9 (67), UB 1 (3), GOEA 19 (513) TOTAL 34 (853)

Thursday, April 11 Steeples [Day 34] 1300-1815 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C and conditions were calm and sunny with a cloud cover of 50-70% cumulus. The only migrants seen were 3 juvenile Bald Eagles: 2 at 1402 and 1 at 1515. Non-migrants were 4 Turkey Vultures, 2 Bald Eagles (1sa, 1j), 4 sightings of adult Red-tailed Hawks that included a pair-flight over the site with both birds vocalising and 1 sighting of a resident adult Golden Eagle.

6.25 hours (167.8) BAEA 3 (212) TOTAL 3 (688)

Wednesday, April 10 Mount Lorette [Day 39] 0705-1535 (Blake Weis, assisted by Katherine Peterson). Because of poor weather the observers left the Hay Meadow at 1200 and Blake spent the next 3.5 hours at Mount Lorette Ponds, the beaver ponds north at the site and the Mount Allan Viewpoint on Highway 40 and finally Lusk Creek in an mainly unsuccessful search of better observing conditions. The temperature at the start was -1C and the high was 5C at 1500 to the end of observation. Ground winds were very light SW to 1100 then N 0-5 gusting 15 km/h, while ridge winds were SW light to moderate all day. Cloud cover was 100% altocumulus, cumulus and altostratus to 0900, 100% stratocumulus to 1300 that brought snow that was heavy to moderate to 1300 with 3 cm falling in a one-hour period. The cloud reduced to 90% after 1300 with a mix of snow and rain and finally, at Lusk Creek, it was raining steadily and the count was abandoned for the day. Initially the east ridges were clear and the west 30% obscured, but from 1100 all ridges were 100% obscured except after 1300 when Hummingbird Plume Hill became visible on occasion. It was on one such occasion at 1330 that the only migrant raptor of the day, a subadult Golden Eagle, was seen flying low to the NW above Hummingbird Plume Hill. A resident adult Northern Goshawk perched and called near the nest site early in the morning and non-migrant subadult Bald Eagles were seen at 0745 and 1500. Other birds were more interesting and comprised a flock of 25 Snow Geese that flew low over the valley towards the NNE at 1100, 3 Canada Geese and a pair of Mallards on the river, 1 Ruffed Grouse (2 drumming and 1 seen), the first 2 Great Blue Herons of the season (1 at Mount Lorette Ponds and 1 on the river below the Mount Allan viewpoint, 4 Northern Flickers, 1 American Crow, 3 Common Ravens, 5 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 American Dipper, 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 male Mountain Bluebird, 2 singing Varied Thrushes, 15 American Robins, 2 European Starlings, 1 White winged Crossbill, 1 singing Fox Sparrow that was a first for the season, 1 Song Sparrow and 11 Dark-eyed Juncos, 1 of which was of the race montanus. Seven White-tailed Deer were on the Stoney Trail in the morning and although, not surprisingly, no butterflies were seen today, a Compton’s Tortoiseshell seen by Michael Woertman at the beaver ponds north of the site should be added to yesterday’s list. There were again no visitors today.

8.5 hours (447.2) GOEA 1 (2005) TOTAL 1 (2265)

Wednesday, April 10 Beaver Mines [Day 39] 0645-2045 (Peter Sherrington to 0900, Doug and Teresa Dolmen 0900-1700, and Peter Sherrington assisted by Hilary Atkinson 1700-2045). The temperature at 0645 was 1C, the high at 1400 was 7C and it was 3C at 2045. Winds were variable but mainly ESE-SE 5-20 and occasionally gusting 30km/h, but after 1700 they were mainly W at the same velocity. Cloud cover was 100% low stratus all morning that completely obscured the ridge to 1030, then 90% mainly stratocumulus to 1820 when it broke to 80% altocumulus and cirrus allowing the only sunshine of the day before returning to 100% after 2000. A mix of light rain and snow fell to 0900, and there were occasional light rain showers in mid-afternoon. Raptor movement was very sporadic with only 5 birds of 3 species seen between 1148 and 1937 that comprised 2 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 2 Golden Eagles (1a, 1j) and 1 female columbarius Merlin that hunted songbirds and perched at the site at 1230. A resident male Northern Harrier displayed to the female at 1530 and a Red-tailed Hawk displayed above the ridge at 1756. Other birds in the area were 3 Canada Geese, 30 swans that flew high to the NE around 1400, 1 Mallard, 8 Wild Turkeys, 4 Rock Pigeons, 1 pair of Sandhill Cranes that fed together on the valley bottom, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker,  4 Blue Jays, 3 Black-billed Magpies, 15 American Crows, 17 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 male Mountain Bluebird, 4 American Robins, 163 European Starlings, 13 Evening Grosbeaks, 3 female Cassin’s Finches, 20  Pine Siskins, 1 hyemalis Dark-eyed Junco and 3 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

14 hours (463.8) RTHA 2 (58), GOEA 2 (494), MERL 1 (3) TOTAL 5 (819)

Wednesday, April 10 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (weather). It was again cloudy and overcast with rain to 1400. The mountains, however, remained obscured for the rest of the day. Vance watched periodically from his house in Wasa from 1700 but only 2 non-migrant Turkey Vultures were seen.

Tuesday, April 9 Mount Lorette [Day 38] 0720-2000 (Blake Weis, assisted by Heinz Unger). The temperature at the start was -4C, the high was 8C from 1500 to 1700 and it was 5C at 2000. Ground winds were variable 0-3 km/h to 1200, E-ENE 5-10 gusting 25 km/h to 1400 and then SW 0-5 gusting 15 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were light to moderate SW to 1200, moderate to strong E-NE to 1400 and then moderate SE for the rest of the day. Cloud cover to 1400 was 100% altostratus, altocumulus, cirrus and stratocumulus, 100% stratocumulus, altocumulus, altostratus and cumulus to 1900 and the day ended with 90% altocumulus and altostratus. All ridges were clear to 1400 when both east and west became 10-20% occluded to 1500 after which they were again clear with the exception of the west that was 10% covered at 1700 and 1800. The only precipitation on a day that threatened more was a light to moderate rain shower between 1800 and 1830. There was a moderate raptor migration of 33 birds of 3 species between 1022 and 1633 comprising 5 Bald Eagles (4a, 1 immature), 1 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 27 Golden Eagles (6a, 11sa, 5j , 5u). This is the first time this season that immature birds have significantly outnumbered adults. Maximum passage was 19 birds (3 Bald and 16 Golden Eagles) between 1100 and 1200 after which movement was slow and sporadic as the weather deteriorated. Most birds moved on the western route to 1400 with birds again soaring over Olympic Summit before gliding high to the NW behind the summit of Mount Allan, and for the rest of the day both east and west routes were used, again with extensive soaring and high gliding flight. A resident adult Northern Goshawk displayed to the NW at 1040, and 2 Red-tailed Hawks, possibly a pair, were seen in the same vicinity. The resident Golden Eagle pair soared above Olympic Summit at 1550 where the male displayed; they then crossed the valley to the Fisher Range ridge where the male again displayed. Other birds noted were 2 pairs of Canada Geese on the river, 3 Mallards, 1 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 1 drumming Hairy Woodpecker, 4 Northern Flickers, 1 Canada Jay, 1 American Crow, 10 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Boreal Chickadee, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, a pair of Mountain Bluebirds, 2 singing Varied Thrushes, 20 American Robins, 11 White winged Crossbills, 2 American Tee Sparrows, 1 Song Sparrow and 15 Dark-eyed Juncos, 5 of which were montanus. Nine White-tailed Deer were in the meadow in the morning and 3 Bighorn Sheep were on Olympic Summit. There were no visitors today.

12.67 hours (438.7) BAEA 5 (192), RTHA 1 (6), GOEA 27 (2004) TOTAL 33 (2264)

Tuesday, April 9 Beaver Mines [Day 38] 0645-1430 and 1800-2030 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0645 was 2C, the high was 4.5C at 1400 and it was 3C at 2030. Winds were variable and light to 1430, and W 20-30 after 1800, and cloud cover was 100% stratus and cumulus to 1000 and 100% low stratus for the rest of the day. Light snow began to fall at 0855 that became moderate at 1125 and turned to light rain at 1300. Apart from brief periods the ridge remained clear to 1300, but was shrouded in cloud at 1400 as steady rain fell and the count was suspended at 1430. At 1800 the count resumed with the ridge clear and W winds of 20-30 km/h that gave some prospect of raptor movement, but cloud cover remained 100% low stratus and very light rain or drizzle continued to fall. No migrant or resident raptors were seen. Other birds recorded were 2 Canada Geese, 3 Mallards, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker,  4 Blue Jays, 1  American Crow, 10 Common Ravens, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 6 American Robins, 97 European Starlings, 27 Evening Grosbeaks, 1 female Purple Finch that was the first record of the season, 22  Pine Siskins and 1 montanus Dark-eyed Junco.

10.25 hours (449.8) TOTAL 0 (814)

Tuesday, April 9 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (weather). It rained all day and the mountains were totally socked in so no observation was possible.