Tuesday, March 19 Mount Lorette [Day 17] 0755-1945 (Blake Weis, assisted by Katherine Peterson). The temperature at 0800 was -7C, but reached a season-high 15C at 1700 and 1800 and was still 7C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW all day, 0-5 km/h that gusting to 10 km/h between 1200 and 1800, while ridge winds were light SW to 1200 and light to moderate in the afternoon. There was cirrus cloud cover all day, 40% to 1000 that diminished to 10% at 1000 before gradually increasing to 80% at 1500 and again diminishing to 20% at the end of the day. A season-high total of 60 migrants were counted between 1020 and 1802 that comprised a season-high 8 Bald Eagles (6a, 2sa), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, a season-high 49 Golden Eagles (40a, 9u), the first Prairie Falcon of the season and 1 unidentified distant raptor that was probably either a Northern Goshawk or a Gyrfalcon. The first Golden Eagle was not seen until after 1300 but movement was then steady and peaked at 15 birds between 1500 and 1600. Up to 1700 migration was mainly on the western route with birds moving from the southern flank of Mount Allan to Hummingbird Plume Hill and then to the NW over Skogan Pass, but after 1700 birds moved from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette with much extended soaring and flapping in the light winds. A single resident adult Golden Eagle soared on the north ridge of Mount Lorette at 0925. There were no new spring arrivals, probably because the Hay Meadow is still completely snow covered, but other birds seen were 2 Pileated Woodpeckers, one of which flew very high to the north from the south flank of Mount Allan, 2 Canada Jays, 10 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 5 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 7 Common Redpolls, 4 White-winged Crossbills and 1 Pine Siskin. There were 5 visitors at the site today.

11.83 hours (175.4) BAEA 8 (27), RLHA 1 (2), GOEA 49 (194), PRFA 1 (1), UU 1(1) TOTAL 60 (226)

Tuesday, March 19 Beaver Mines [Day 18] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0730 was 1C that reached a season-high 15C at 1500 and 1600, and was still 10C at 1930. Winds were WSW 15-20 km/h to 1030 when again they diminished to 0-5 km/h, mainly NE for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 10% altostratus to 0830 and it was then cloudless all day with occasional ephemeral traces of altocumulus occasionally developing. The delightful weather again produced almost no migrants, however, with only 3 seen today: 1 adult Golden Eagle at 1352, 1 adult Bald Eagle at 1544 and 1 subadult Bald Eagle at 1659. The highlight of the day was our first American Robin at 0831 and other birds seen were 1 Canada Goose, 16 Wild turkeys, 1 Rock Pigeon, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker, 7 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 5 American Crows, 35 Common Ravens, 25 of which flew high to the SW between 1900 and 1921, 20 European Starlings, 10 Evening Grosbeaks and 7 Pine Siskins.

12 hours (201.8) BAEA 2 (65), GOEA 1 (104) TOTAL 3 (182)

Tuesday, March 19 Steeples [Day 14] 1300-1900 (Vance Mattson). The weather was again warm with a temperature of 12C, calm conditions and cloudless skies that produced a season-high count of 42 eagles comprising a season-high total of 25 Bald Eagles (14a, 3sa, 8j) and 17 Golden Eagles (12a, 1sa, 3j). Movement was steady throughout the observation period with a maximum hourly count of 14 between 1500 and 1600. The resident Golden Eagle family was seen together with one adult bird displaying vigorously for the first time this year. The juvenile was seen on 3 occasions, once soaring at length with an adult, and again perched at length between 1540 and 1747. Two non-migrant adult Bald Eagles soared together before gliding south along the ridge.

6 hours (66.25) BAEA 25 (71), GOEA 17 (107) TOTAL 42 (180)

Monday, March 18 Mount Lorette [Day 16] 0750-1950 (Blake Weis, assisted by Dan Parliament). The starting temperature was -9C, but rose to a season-high 12C at 1700 and 1800 and was still 10C at 1950. Ground winds were SW 0-5 km/h all day and ridge winds were SW, light in the morning and light to moderate in the afternoon. It was completely cloudless to 1400 after which there was 10-30% cirrus for the rest of the day. For the third successive day the count was 37 birds, that moved between 1302 and 1916 and comprised 3 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult Northern Goshawk (the first migrant of the season) and 33 Golden Eagles (32a, 1j). The highest hourly count was 14 (1 Bald and 13 Golden Eagles) between 1600 and 1700. With the exception of 1 Golden Eagle that moved on the western route and 1 Bald Eagle that went north from the end of the Fisher Range, all birds moved from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette at variable heights and generally after much soaring. Resident adult Golden Eagles were seen at Mount Lorette and over Hummingbird Plume Hill, and 2 resident adult Northern Goshawks flew low over the site towards the north at 0849. A non-migrant adult Bald Eagle also flew south from Hummingbird Plume Hill. No new spring arrivals were noted and other birds seen were 5 Canada Jays, 12 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 6 Mountain Chickadees, 3 Boreal Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 2 singing Brown Creepers, 1 American Dipper, 1 European Starling, 13 Bohemian Waxwings, 4 Common Redpolls, 1 White-winged Crossbill, 1 Pine Siskin and 1 Dark-eyed Junco. There were 15 visitors at the site today.

12 hours (163.6) BAEA 3 (19), NOGO 1 (1), GOEA 33 (145) TOTAL 37 (166)

Monday, March 18 Beaver Mines [Day 17] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson; Gord Petersen 1400-1730). The temperature also reached a season high of 12C at 1500 and 1600 from a starting low of -1C and was 4C at 1930. Winds were WSW 15-20 km/h in the morning, but in the afternoon they were NE 0-5 km/h or calm. There was 30-70% altostratus and cirrus cloud cover to 1100 after which the sky was completely cloudless. The conditions produced another meagre raptor count of just 4 birds between 1205 and 1752 comprising 1 juvenile Bald Eagle, 1u Northern Goshawk, the first Red-tailed Hawk of the season at 1618 that was a dark morph bird of undetermined race and age, and 1 subadult Golden Eagle. The resident pair of Golden Eagles soared above the ridge at 1155 and glided high to the SE, and a non-migrant adult Bald Eagle was seen soaring low at 1630 and then was seen perched on the ridge between 1747 and 1755. Between 1400 and 1730 Hilary and I left the site observed progressively to the west to see if birds were moving on other ridges but 3.5 hours spent at Vicki Ridge, Kyllo Ridge, Carbondale Ridge, Barnaby Ridge and Table Mountain produced not a single migrant raptor. In all cases winds were light and the sky cloudless. No new spring arrivals were noted and other birds seen at the Beaver Mines site were a flock of 40 Wild Turkeys, 4 Rock Pigeons, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 male Northern [Red-shafted] Flicker, 1 Steller’s Jay, 5 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 19 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 8 European Starlings, 6 Evening Grosbeaks, 1 Common Redpoll, 3 Pine Siskins and 1 Dark-eyed [montanus] Junco.

12 hours (189.8) BAEA 1 (63), NOGO 1 (3), RTHA 1 (1), GOEA 1 (103) TOTAL 4 (179)

Monday, March 18 Steeples [Day 13] 1630-1900 (Vance Mattson). Weather conditions west of the Rockies were also similar with a temperature of 12C, calm conditions and cloudless sunny skies that produced a movement of 13 migrant raptors, 5 Bald Eagles (4a, 1j) and 8 adult Golden Eagles between 1630 and 1809. During the first 5 minutes at the site 2 adult Bald Eagles and 2 adult Golden Eagles moved north, and 8 eagles were seen between 1700 and 1800. The resident Golden Eagles were again conspicuous, especially the juvenile that again perched on its favoured rocky outcrop from 1732 to the end of observation at 1900. Four non-migrant Bald Eagles (3a, 1j) were also seen that included a pair-flight low over the south flank of Mount Bill Nye.

2.5 hours (60.25) BAEA 5 (46), GOEA 8 (90) TOTAL 13 (138)

Sunday, March 17 Mount Lorette [Day 15] 0715-2015 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson and Rosemary Power). The temperature at 0800 was -8C, the high between 1600 and 1800 was 8C and it was 0C at the end of observation. Ground winds were variable 0-3 km/h to 1000, SE-NE 0-12 km/h to 1400 then SW-W 10-20 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were probably light to moderate SW throughout. It was essentially cloudless with traces of altocumulus cloud all day with the exceptions of 1200 when 50% cumulus developed and 1300 when there was 30% cumulus. The count was almost exactly the same as yesterday’s with total of 37 eagles that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1adult and 1 late subadult) and 35 Golden Eagles (29a, 3sa, 3j, 1u) that moved between 1117 and 1927. By 1700 only 8 Golden Eagles had been recorded but 11 were counted between 1700 and 1800, 8 between 1800 and 1900 and 8 between 1900 and 1927. With the exception of 1 Golden Eagle that flew high to the NW above the centre of the valley, all birds glided high from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette where they moved to the NW against the face of the mountain. A resident adult Golden Eagle perched and hunted on Mount Lorette, and possibly the same bird flew high from the centre of the valley to Mount Allan later in the day. A Northern Goshawk called from the nest-site near the parking area early in the morning and an adult was also seen hunting north of the site. Other birds seen were 1 Canada Goose on the river, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Canada Jays, 25 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 3 Boreal Chickadees, 1 American Robin (the first of the season), 2 Common Redpolls, 20 White-winged Crossbills and 1 male Red-winged Blackbird. A season high total of 71 visitors were at the site today.

13 hours (151.6) BAEA 2 (16), GOEA 35 (112) TOTAL 37 (129)

Sunday, March 17 Beaver Mines [Day 16] 0730-1900 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature was 0C at 0730, dropped to -1.5C at 0800 but reached a high of 8C at 1600 and was still 4C at the end of observation. Winds were light all day, mainly NE and ESE and it was essentially cloudless with just occasional traces of altocumulus cloud. The light easterly winds produced only 2 adult Bald Eagles, 1 at 1438 and 1 at 1806 and it is probable that raptors were migrating farther to the west where the mountains were completely clear to the Continental Divide. No resident raptors were seen. Clear skies overnight led to an exodus of many of the birds that had been wintering here which produced a strangely quiet day in the sunshine. The other birds seen were 2 Canada Geese that flew to the SW at 0832, 2 Rock Pigeons, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 male Northern [Red-shafted] Flicker, 6 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 12 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadee, 5 European Starlings, 10 Evening Grosbeaks, 1 Common Redpoll, 5 Pine Siskins and 1 Dark-eyed [hyemalis] Junco.

11.5 hours (177.8) BAEA 2 (62) TOTAL 2 (175)

Sunday, March 17 Steeples [Day 12] 1145-1845 (Vance Mattson). The temperature at 1145 was 2C but rose to a high of 11C, winds were occasionally light N but mainly calm and it was cloudless all day. The conditions produced a season-high count of 38 migrants that comprised a season-high 13 Bald Eagles (6a, 2sa, 5j) and 24 Golden Eagles (19a, 4j, 1u) and 1 unidentified eagle that moved between 1328 and 1819. Six eagles were seen before 1400 then 11, 7 and 11 in each of the next three hours, and 3 between 1800 and 1819. Movement was low to 1600 after which it was very high. Also seen were 2 non-migratory adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult resident Golden Eagle and 5 sightings of the resident juvenile Golden Eagle including it perching between 1730 and 1800 on a rocky outcrop near the site.

7 hours (57.75) BAEA 13 (41), GOEA 24 (82), UE 1 (2) TOTAL 38 (125)

Saturday, March 16 Mount Lorette [Day 14] 0750-1930 (Blake Weis, assisted by Ruth Morrow). The starting temperature was -9C, the high was 7C at 1700 and 1800 and was 4C at 1930. Ground winds were W-SW 0-5 km/h to 1300 after which they were WSW 5-10 gusting to 26 km/h, while ridge winds were moderate SW to 1300 and then SW moderate to strong. Cloud cover was 30% cirrus to 1000 and then 50-100% cirrus, altocumulus, altostratus and lenticular cloud for the rest of the day. All ridges were clear. A season-high total of 37 eagles were counted between 1025 and 1846 comprising 1 adult Bald Eagle and 36 Golden Eagles (29a, 1sa, 1u) which is the highest count for the site so far this season. Only 3 birds were seen before 1400 after which movement became steady with 9, 8 and 8 eagles migrating in each of the next 3 hours. All the movement was on the eastern ridge system with most birds kiting high above the northern end of the Fisher Range before gliding high to Mount Lorette. Two resident adult Northern Goshawks flew low to the south over the site at 1127 and 1128, and an assumed non-migrant adult Bald Eagle flew high from Olympic Summit to the east above the Fisher Range. Other birds in the area were 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Canada Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 5 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 12 Common Ravens, 7 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 American Dipper, 25 Bohemian Waxwings, 2 Common Redpolls and 3 White-winged Crossbills. There was no shortage of company with 29 visitors making it to the site today.

11.67 hours (138.6) BAEA 1 (14), GOEA 36 (77) TOTAL 37 (92)

Saturday, March 16 Beaver Mines [Day 15] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). For the first time this season the starting temperature at 0730 was above freezing (1C) although it dropped to 0C at 0800 before reaching a season high of 8C at 1700 and was still 4C at 2000. Winds were moderate W all day 20-30 gusting 40 km/h and cloud cover was 100-60% thin cirrostratus and altocumulus in the morning, with 100% grey uniform altostratus cover for the rest of the day that gave hazy sunshine. There was a very disappointing movement of only 5 raptors between the first Golden Eagle at 0836 and an adult Bald Eagle at 1541. The paltry fare comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult Northern Goshawk and 2 adult Golden Eagles with 9 hourly counts producing no birds at all. Single birds of the resident Golden Eagle family (2a and 1j) were seen hunting over the ridge on four occasions. Other birds seen were also fewer today and comprised 8 Rock Pigeons, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 male Northern [Red-shafted] Flicker, 6 Blue Jays, 16 Black-billed Magpies, 18 American Crows, 36 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 5 European Starlings, 45 Evening Grosbeaks, 4 Common Redpolls, 12 Pine Siskins and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos (1 hyemalis and 1 montanus).

12.5 hours (166.3) BAEA 2 (60) NOGO 1 (2), GOEA 2 (102) TOTAL 5 (173)

Saturday, March 16 Steeples [Day 11] 1130-1700 (Vance Mattson, assisted by Virginia Rasch and Penny Ohanjanian). Observation was from the usual Mount Bill Nye site where the temperature rose to 6C from a low of 1C, conditions were mainly calm and cloud cover was 100% thin altostratus that reduced to 40% thin altostratus and cumulus. A total of 16 migrants, 8 adult Bald Eagles, 7 adult Golden Eagles and 1 unidentified eagle, were seen between 1245 and 1708, with 13 of the birds moving between 1500 and 1700. The first migrant, a Golden Eagle, perched for 25 minutes on the ridge before finally flying to the north, and the calm conditions produced much slow soaring and low flight. Many resident or non-migrant birds were seen comprising 4 adult and 1 late subadult Bald Eagles, and single adult resident Golden Eagles were seen on 7 occasions and the juvenile twice.

7 hours (50.75) BAEA 8 (28), GOEA 7 (58), UE 1 (1) TOTAL 16 (87)

Friday, March 15 Mount Lorette [Day 13] 0805-2005 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rick Robb). The starting temperature was -4C, the high was 5C at 1600 and it was 1C at the end of observation. Ground winds were 0-5 gusting 20 km/h, variable to 1400 then SW to 1800 and finally 0-5 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were moderate NW all day. Cloud cover was initially 80% cirrus and stratus that became 70-60% cumulus and stratus between 1000 and 1300 after which it gradually diminished to 20% cumulus and cirrus by 2000. The eastern ridges were clear all day, and the west was 40% obscured to 1100 after which it was also clear. The conditions produced a season-high count of 23 eagles between 1217 and 1614 that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa) and a season-high count of 21 Golden Eagles (18a, 3u). The birds moved steadily with hourly high counts of 6 between 1217 and 1300 and 7 between 1400 and 1500. Up to 1300 the birds were initially located over Mount Lorette having presumably originated in the Wasootch Creek area, but subsequently they glided from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette with only occasional soaring flight. A resident adult Northern Goshawk was also seen on a couple of occasions hunting near the site. Other birds seen were 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 5 Canada Jays, 8 Common Ravens, 6 Black-capped Chickadees, 5 Mountain Chickadees, 4 Boreal Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 8 Common Redpolls and 5 White-winged Crossbills. Six visitors were at the site today.

11.67 hours (126.9) BAEA 2 (13), GOEA 21 (41) TOTAL 23 (55)

Friday, March 15 Beaver Mines [Day 14] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0730 was -2C the high at 1600 was a season high 5C and it was 2C at 1930. Winds were again W-WSW all day, 30-40 gusting 50 km/h that moderated to 20-30 km/h after 1800. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus to 1200 and the afternoon saw 60-100% altostratus, cumulus and altocumulus that provided extended sunny periods. The day started encouragingly with single Golden Eagles moving NW at 0858 and 0859, but the next raptors, two Bald Eagles, were not seen until 1100 and the 3^rd Golden Eagle did not appear until 1241. Movement was then sporadic throughout the afternoon despite apparently ideal migration conditions and it was only between 1706 and 1747 when 8 of the day’s 24 migrants were counted that there was any sustained movement. The final count was 10 Bald Eagles (9a, 1sa), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, the first of the season that flew N with the subadult Bald Eagle at 1532, and 13 Golden Eagles (10a, 2sa, 1j). An adult resident Golden Eagle soared briefly on the ridge at 1810. Other birds seen were 10 Rock Pigeons, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 male Northern [Red-shafted] Flicker, 4 Blue Jays, 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 18 American Crows that flew to the SW at 1816, 45 Common Ravens only 5 of which flew to roost between 1807 and 1914, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Mountain Chickadee, 2 European Starlings inspecting possible nest sites, 40 Evening Grosbeaks, 6 Common Redpolls, 50 Pine Siskins, 3 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 hyemalis and 1 montanus) and 3 male Red-winged Blackbirds.

12 hours (153.8) BAEA 10 (58), NOGO 1 (1) GOEA 13 (100) TOTAL 24 (168)

Friday, March 15 Steeples [Day 10] 1130-1700 (Vance Mattson, assisted by Andrena Heigh). Observation today was from the South Lakit site where the temperature was initially 2C but by 1600 it was 9C and caused significant snow melt. Winds were light SW but became calm after 1600 and cloud cover was 60% altostratus and cumulus that reduced to 30% cumulus after 1600. A total of 15 migrants were counted between 1149 and 1530 comprising 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) and 12 adult Golden Eagles. The resident pair of Golden Eagles were visible nearly the entire day with extended soaring, hunting and a minor display flight by one of the birds. Six non-migrant adult Bald Eagles were also present with a pair-flight seen at 1408.

5.5 hours (43.75) BAEA 3 (20), GOEA 12 (51) TOTAL 15 (71)