Thursday, October 01 Vicki Ridge [Day 12] 0815-1900 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge, assisted by Trevor Lewis (1615-1730). There was no observation at the Waterton 68 site. The temperature at 0815 was 13C (in contrast to 2C at Beaver Mines when we left home 10 minutes earlier!), the high at 1300 and again at 1500 was 21C and it was still 18C at 1900, Winds were moderate 20-30 km/h all day, NW to 0900 and then W for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus and altocumulus with light smoke haze to 1330 when the smoke thickened and provided very gloomy conditions to 1675, after which the smoke thinned and the rest of the day was 70-90% altostratus, altocumulus, cirrus and lenticular cloud that gave excellent viewing conditions for the last two hours of observation. A total of 77 migrant raptors of 12 species were seen between 1006 and 1845 that comprised 1 Osprey, 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 2u), 2 Northern Harriers (1a female, 1j male), 30 Sharp-shinned Hawks (4a, 26u), 8 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 7u), 4 Northern Goshawks (3a, 1j), 3 Red-tailed Hawks (2 light calurus(1a, 1u) and 1a dark harlani), 4 Rough-legged Hawks (1light, 1 dark and 2u), 19 Golden Eagles (12a, 2sa, 2j, 3u), 1 female American Kestrel, 1u malecolumbarius Merlin and 1a Peregrine Falcon. Movement was steady to 1700 but peaked in the last 2 hours when the smoke thinned with 14 birds moving between 1700 and 1800 and 13 between 1800 and 1845. Other birds seen were 1 Great Horned Owl that flew low at the base of Vicki Ridge at 1855, 1 Northern Flicker, 3 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 5 Black-billed Magpies, only 15 Common Ravens, 74 American Robins and 86 Pine Siskins.

10.75 hours (131.7) OSPR 1 (5), BAEA 3 (34), NOHA 2 (10), SSHA 30 (489), COHA 8 (91), NOGO 4 (12), RTHA 3 (124), RLHA 4 (18), GOEA 19 (410), AMKE 1 (11), MERL 1 (14), PEFA 1 (3) TOTAL 77 (1257)

Thursday, October 01 Mount Lorette [Day 11] 0730-1930 (Graeme Dunlop, assisted by Joel Duncan). Observers counted a season-high 214 migrant raptors of 9 species that included the first three-figure Golden Eagle movement of the season. The count was 1 Osprey, a season-high 23 Bald Eagles (9a, 2sa, 11j, 1u), 6 Sharp-shinned Hawks (5a, 1j), 2u Cooper’s Hawks, 4a Northern Goshawks, 13 Red-tailed Hawks (8a calurus (7 light, 1 dark) and 5 indeterminate birds, 159 Golden Eagles (119a, 4sa, 11j, 25u), 1 unidentified eagle and 1 juvenile Prairie Falcon.

12 hours (147), OSPR 1 (4), BAEA 23 (49), SSHA 6 (74), COHA 2 (11), NOGO 4 (29), RTHA 13 (40), RLHA 4 (9), GOEA 159 (581), UE 1 (3), PRFA 1 (2), TOTAL 214 (838)

Thursday, October 01 Steeples (Vance Mattson).  No observation.

Wednesday, September 30 Vicki Ridge [Day 11] 0800-1900 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge. There was no observation at the Waterton 68 site. The temperature at 0800 was 7C, the high at 1600 and 1700 was 14C and it was 11C at 1900. Winds were mainly light E-SE that occasionally gusted to 15 km/h and cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus to 1210 when it began to break up and reduced to 70% cumulus at 1300 and it was cloudless after 1400 with the exception of 1900 when 30% thin cirrostratus developed to the west. The conditions produced a season-low total of only 8 migrants of 5 species between 0829 and 1306 that comprised 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 2 Northern Goshawks (1a, 1j), 2 Golden Eagles (1a, 1j) and 1a male columbarius Merlin. The highest hourly count was 3 between 1000 and 1100. Other birds seen were 8 Canada Geese that flew high to the west at 1027, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Steller’s Jay, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 30 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Bluebird, 140 American Robins, 209 Pine Siskins and 4 Yellow-rumped Warblers. Most of these birds occurred in the morning and there was only a meagre evening roosting movement of Common Ravens.

11 hours (120.9) SSHA 2 (459), COHA 1 (83), NOGO 2 (8), GOEA 2 (391), MERL 1 (13) TOTAL 8 (1180)

September summary with variance compared to the 2017-2019 three-year average. (New high counts for the month in bold). 11 days (+22.2%). 120.9 hours (+55.4%) TUVU 5 (+500%), OSPR 4 (-25%), BAEA 31 (+126.8%), NOHA 8 (-17.2%), SSHA 459 (+60.5%), COHA 83 (+111%), NOGO 8 (-57.9%), BWHA 12 (+16.1%), SWHA 3 (+80%), RTHA 121 (+87.1%), FEHA 1 (-72.7%), RLHA 14 (+162.5%), GOEA391 (+170.9%), AMKE 10 (-18.9%), MERL 13 (+34.5%), GYRF 0 (-100%), PEFA 2 (-60%), PRFA 2 (+100%), UA 3 (+200%), UB 6 (+157.1%), UE 2 (+100%), UF 1 (+50% UU 0 (-100%) TOTAL 1180 (+85%)

Wednesday, September 30 Mount Lorette [Day 11] 0700-1920 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Cliff Hansen). A total of 56 migrants of 8 species was counted that comprised 3a Bald Eagles, 6u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2u Cooper’s Hawks, 3 Northern Goshawks (1a, 1j, 1u), 5 dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (3a, 2j), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 32 Golden Eagles (422), 1a Peregrine Falcon, 1 unidentified large falcon and 1 unidentified raptor.

12.33 hours (135) BAEA 3 (26), SSHA 6 (69), COHA 2 (9), NOGO 3 (25), RTHA 5 (27), RLHA 2 (5), GOEA 32 (422), PEFA 1 (6), UF 1 (2), UU 1 (1) TOTAL 56 (625)

September summary with variance compared to the 1993-2019 (excluding 1997, 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008) 22-year average. (New high counts for the month in bold). 11 days (+3.4%). 135 hours (+15.1%) TUVU 0, OSPR 3 (+43.5%), BAEA 26 (+45.5%), NOHA 8 (+67.6%), SSHA 68 (+29.5%), COHA 9 (-14.7%), NOGO 25 (+219.8%), BWHA 4 (+95.6%), SWHA 2 (+633.3%), RTHA 27 (+58.8%), FEHA 0, RLHA 5 (+144%), GOEA 422 (+19.4%), AMKE 1 (-26.7%), MERL 7 (+152.5%), GYRF 0 (-100%), PEFA 6 (+266.7%), PRFA 1 (+57.1%), UA 4 (+29.4%), UB 1 (-15.4%), UE 2 (+144.4%), UF 2 (+528.6% UU 1 (-37.1%) TOTAL 625 (+28.8%). The 2 Swainson’s Hawks and 6 Peregrine Falcons equaled the previous high September counts at the site.

Wednesday, September 30 Steeples (Vance Mattson).  No observation.

Tuesday, September 29 Vicki Ridge [Day 10] 0800-1920 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge, and Gord Petersen and Cathy Scrimshaw at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite, 1310-1905). The temperature at 0800 was 13C, the high at 1630 was 23.5C, which is the highest so far this season, and it was 15C at 1920. Winds were WSW-W 30-40 gusting to 55 km/h to 1830 when it became calm for 10 minutes, and at 1840 the wind suddenly shifted to the E at 15-30 km/h where it remained for the rest of the day. Cloud cover throughout the day was 30-60% generally thin altocumulus and cirrus, with some lenticular cloud developing after 1600, which gave a sunny day and excellent observing conditions. At Waterton 61 a total of 63 migrants of 8 species were seen between 0837 and 1829 that comprised 3a Bald Eagles, 1a male Northern Harrier, 39 Sharp-shinned Hawks (25a, 14u), 2a Cooper’s Hawks, 1j Northern Goshawk, 1j dark morph Swainson’s Hawk, 5 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2a light morphs and 2a, 1j dark morphs) and 11 Golden Eagles (7a, 3sa, 1j). Movement was very intermittent with birds appearing in clusters with long periods of inaction in between. The highest hourly counts were 11 (1000-1100) and 16 (1100-1200), and 10 from 1700 to 1800 when most of the birds seen soared high before moving to the south. At the Waterton 68 site a total of 54 migrants of 7 species moved between 1313 and 1844 which comprised 2a Bald Eagles, 38 Sharp-shinned Hawks (6a, 3j, 29u), 6 Cooper’s Hawks (3j, 3u), 1a intermediate morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 4 Golden Eagles (2a, 2u) and 1u American Kestrel. Movement there was also intermittent with 20 of the birds occurring between 1313 and 1400. The combined species count was 117 birds of 10 species seen between 0837 and 1844 that comprised 5a Bald Eagles, 1a male Northern Harrier, 77 Sharp-shinned Hawks (31a, 3j, 43u), 8 Cooper’s Hawks (2a, 3j, 3u), 1j Northern Goshawk, 1j dark morph Swainson’s Hawk, 6 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2a light morphs. 2a, 1j dark morphs, and 1a intermediate morph, 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 15 Golden Eagles (9a, 3sa, 1j, 2u) and 1u American Kestrel. The highest hourly counts were 25 (1300-1400 and 22 (1700-1800). Other birds seen were 4 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 195 Common Ravens, 49 American Robins and 101 Pine Siskins. When the wind shifted to the east at 1840 it brought in a total of 164 Canada Geese that flew high to the west and south in 5 flocks between 1856 and 1914, and a single Bonaparte’s Gull that flew high to the west at 1903.

11.33 hours (109.9) BAEA 5 (31), NOHA 1 (8), SSHA 77 (457), COHA 8 (82), NOGO 1 (6), SWHA 1 (3), RTHA 6 (121), RLHA 2 (14), GOEA 15 (389), AMKE 1 (10) TOTAL 117 (1172)

Tuesday, September 29 Mount Lorette [Day 10] 0740-1920 (George Halmazna, assisted by Dan Parliament). Observers counted 56 migrant raptors of 6 species that comprised 1u Bald Eagle, 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 1j, 3u), 5 Northern Goshawks (4a, 1j), 6 (5a, 1j),calurus light morph Red-tailed Hawks, 35 (25a, 3j, 7u) Golden Eagles and 4u columbarius Merlins.

12.25 hours (122.7) BAEA 1 (13), SSHA 5 (63), NOGO 5 (22), RTHA 6 (22), GOEA 35 (390), MERL 4 (7) TOTAL 56 (569)

Tuesday, September 29 Steeples (Vance Mattson).  No observation.

Monday, September 28 Vicki Ridge [Day 8] 0800-1920 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge, and Gord Petersen and Cathy Scrimshaw at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite, 1340-1910). The temperature at 0800 was 9C, the high at 1800 was 18C and it was still 16C at 1920. Winds were again W-WSW all day 30-50 gusting to 75 km/h, and cloud cover was 100-90% altostratus that formed a static Chinook Arch and gave gloomy conditions until 1735 when the setting sun dipped below the edge of the arch and bathed the area in brilliant sunshine until the sun dipped behind Kyllo Ridge at 1831. At the Waterton 61 site a total of 54 migrants of 7 species were seen between 0845 and 1729 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 28 Sharp-shinned Hawks (4a, 2j, 22u), 3 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 2u), 2a Broad-winged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 6 Red-tailed Hawks (4 calurus: 3 light (2a, 1j) and 1dark adult; and 2a dark harlani), 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 1 dark unidentified Buteo and 9 Golden Eagles (8a, 1sa). The highest hourly count was 12 between 1200 and 1300, and only 4 birds were seen after 1600. The Waterton 68 site produced 42 migrants of 5 species between 1343 and 1835 that comprised 26 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 2j, 22u), 4 Cooper’s Hawks (1j, 3u), 3 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus dark 2a; and 1 indeterminate bird), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 1u unidentified Buteo, 5 Golden Eagles (3a, 1j, 1u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The highest hourly count was 10 between 1400 and 1500. The combined speciescount was 96 birds of 7 species seen between 0845 and 1835 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 54 Sharp-shinned Hawks (6a, 4j, 44u), 7 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1j, 5u), 2a Broad-winged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 9 Red-tailed Hawks (6 calurus: light 3 (2a, 1j), dark 3a; 2a dark harlani; and 1 indeterminate bird ), 4 Rough-legged Hawks (3 light, 1 dark), 2 unidentified Buteos (1dark, 1u), 9 Golden Eagles (11a, 1sa, 1j, 1u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The highest combined site hourly count was 14 between 1400 and 1500. Other birds seen were 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Steller’s Jay, 3 Clark’s Nutcracker, 33 Common Ravens, 3 Mountain Bluebirds, 82 American Robins and 1 Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler.

11.33 hours (98.58) BAEA 3 (26), SSHA 54 (380), COHA 7 (74), BWHA 2 (12), RTHA 9 (115), RLHA 4 (12), UB 2 (6), GOEA 14 (374), UE 1 (2)

Monday, September 28 Mount Lorette [Day 9] 0740-1920 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Graeme Dunlop). A total of 35 migrant raptors of a season-high 10 species comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1sa, 1j), 1 juvenile Northern Harrier, 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 2u Northern Goshawks, 1 small unidentified Accipiter, 1j light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 3 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2 light (1a, 1j) and 1a intermediate), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 19 Golden Eagles (7a, 2sa, 10u), 1 unidentified eagle and 1u Peregrine Falcon.

11.67 (110.4) BAEA 2 (22), NOHA 1 (8), SSHA 2 (58), COHA 1 (7), NOGO 2 (17), UA 1 (4), BWHA 1 (4), RTHA 3 (16), RLHA 1 (3), UB 1 (2), GOEA 19 (355), PEFA 1 (5) TOTAL 35 (513)

Monday, September 28 Steeples (Vance Mattson).  No observation.

Sunday, September 27 Vicki Ridge [Day 8] 0815-1915 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of the ridge, and Gord Petersen and Cathy Scrimshaw at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite, 1230-1905). The temperature at 0815 was 4C the high at 1500 and 1600 was 11.5C and it was 9C at 1915. Winds were W-WSW all day 25-35 gusting 45 km/h and it was cloudless for most of the day with up to 10% lenticular cloud developing after 1515. At the Waterton 61 site a modest total of 42 raptors of 9 species were counted between 1034 and 1855 that comprised 1u Bald Eagle, 1j female Northern Harrier, 11 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2j, 8u), 4 Cooper’s Hawk (3a, 1j), 1u Northern Goshawk, 3 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 1j, 1u), 9 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus 8: 5 light morphs (4a, 1u), 1a intermediate morph and 2a dark morphs, and 1a dark morph harlani), 11 Golden Eagles (2a, 1sa, 6j, 2u) and 1u columbarius Merlin. Movement was slow for much of the day with 17 of the birds seen between 1600 and 1800. Migration was steadier to the west at the Waterton 68 site where 80 raptors of 8 species were seen between 1238 and 1904 that comprised 1u Turkey Vulture, 1a Bald Eagle, 42 Sharp-shinned Hawks (7a, 3j, 32u), 10 Cooper’s Hawks (2a, 2j, 6u), 8 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus 6: 5 light morphs (3a, 1j, 1u), 1a intermediate morph and 2 indeterminate birds), 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 14 Golden Eagles (8a, 5j, 1u) and 3 American Kestrels (2 females and 1u). Movement peaked at 15 birds between 1500 and 1600 and again between 1800 and 1900. The combined species count was 122 birds of 12 species seen between 1034 and 1904 that comprised 1u Turkey Vulture, 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1u), 1j female Northern Harrier, 53 Sharp-shinned Hawks (8a, 5j, 40u), 14 Cooper’s Hawks (5a, 3j, 6u), 1u Northern Goshawk, 3 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 1j, 1u), 17 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus 14: 10 light morphs (7a, 1j, 1u), 2a intermediate morphs and 2a dark morphs, 1a dark morph harlani and 2 indeterminate birds), 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 25 Golden Eagles (10a, 1sa, 11j, 3u), 3 American Kestrels (2 females and 1u) and 1u columbarius Merlin. The highest hourly combined count was 22 between 1700 and 1800. Other birds seen were 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 199 Common Ravens, 3,  88 American Robins, 7 Pine Siskins, 1a Brewer’s Sparrow and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler.

11 hours (87.25) TUVU 1 (6), BAEA 2 (23), NOHA 1 (7), SSHA 53 (326), COHA 14 (67), NOGO 1 (5), BWHA 3 (10), RTHA 17 (106), RLHA 1 (8), GOEA 25 (360), AMKE 3 (9), MERL 1 (12) TOTAL 122 (959)

Sunday, September 27 Mount Lorette [Day 8] 0715-1945 (Lori Anderson, assisted by Patrick Farley). Observers counted a total of 59 migrant raptors of 9 species that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a and 1 undifferentiated immature bird), 2 northern Harriers (1a male and 1u female), 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 3j light morph Broad-winged Hawks, 2 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (1j light, 1a intermediate), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 45 Golden Eagles (25a, 3sa, 12j, 5u) and 1 unidentified small falcon.

12.5 hours (98.74) BAEA 2 (20), NOHA 2 (7), SSHA 2 (56), COHA 1 (6), BWHA 3 (3), RTHA 2 (13), RLHA 2 (1), GOEA 45 (336), UF 1 (1) TOTAL 59 (478)

Sunday, September 27 Steeples (Vance Mattson).  No observation.