Wednesday, April 01 Beaver Mines [Day 37] 0700-2030 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0700 was -15C, the high from 1300 to 1500 was -12C and it was again -15C at 2030. Winds were ENE-NE all day 10-20 km/h with occasional gusts to 30 km/h. Cloud cover was 100% stratus with light snow to 1500 that largely obscured the ridge, but subsequently the ridge remained clear with 90-100% cumulus and altostratus cloud cover that produced only occasional flurries. There was 2 cm of fresh snow at 0700 and a further 1.5 cm fell during the day. A total of 17 raptors were seen between 0927 and 1755 that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult male Northern Harrier, 4 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 10 Golden Eagles (6a, 3sa, 1j). The Golden Eagles flew to the NNE between 1605 and 1755 when a brief snow flurry obscured the ridge-top for five minutes, but despite the ridge subsequently being completely clear for the rest of the day no further eagles were seen.  Poor weather continued at Mount Lorette with low temperatures, snow and mainly obscured ridges. Graeme Dunlop reported 0 migrants in 7.5 hours of observation.  Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 12 Canada Geese, 3 American Wigeons, 8 Mallards, 1 Rock Pigeon, 1 Killdeer, 37 American Crows, 6 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 6 European Starlings, 37 Evening Grosbeaks, 23 Pine Grosbeaks, 40 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 1 American Tree Sparrow and 47 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 hyamalis, 5 cismontanus, 40 montanus).

13.5 hours (438.2) BAEA 1 (225), NOHA 1 (6), SSHA 4 (23), RTHA 1 (28), GOEA 10 (905) TOTAL 17 (1291)

Wednesday, April 01 Steeples [Day 26] 1430-1930 (Vance Mattson). The ridges were totally obscured to 1430 after which they were partially obscured. The temperature was -1C, conditions were calm, cloud cover was 100% altostratus and stratus and there was 8 cm of fresh snow on the ground. A total of 6 Golden Eagles (5a, 1j) were seen, 3 between 1645 and 1700 and the remaining 3 at 1801, 1810 and 1914.

5 hours (136.3) GOEA 6 (306) TOTAL 6 (413)

Tuesday, March 31 Beaver Mines [Day 36] 07000-2000 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0700 was -8C and varied throughout the day between -8 and -10C until 2000 when it was -11C. Winds were NNE-NE all day 9-18 km/h and cloud cover was 100% stratus with light to moderate snow for most of the day that deposited 7 cm by 2000. The ridge was only clear between 1515 and 1536, 1610 and 1625, 1630 and 1655, and 1755 and 1835, and between 1527 and 1535 4 adult Golden Eagles flew high to the NW. Two low-flying Sharp-shinned hawks, a juvenile at 1843 and an adult at 1910, completed the count of 6 migrant raptors. No observation was possible at Mount Lorette as snow again fell all day and obscured all ridges.  Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 14 Canada Geese, 2 pairs of American Wigeon, 7 Mallards, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 3 Blue Jays, 56 American Crows, 4 Common Ravens, 6 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 2 American Robins, 5 European Starlings, 30 Evening Grosbeaks, 29 Pine Grosbeaks, 152 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 1 American Tree Sparrow, 45 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 hyamalis, 3 cismontanus, 40 montanus) and 1 male Red-winged Blackbird.

13 hours (434.7) SSHA 2 (19) GOEA 4 (895) TOTAL 6 (1274)

March Summary Beaver Mines (with percentage variance compared to 2015-2019 average) 29 days (+2.8%), 358.5 hours (+44.7%) TUVU 0, OSPR 0, BAEA 177 (+5%), NOHA 5 (-45.7%), SSHA 19 (+69.6%), COHA 4 (+233.3%), NOGO 28 (-0.1%), BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 27 (-42.1%), FEHA 1 (-54.5%), RLHA 29 (-47.8%), GOEA 843 (-1.4%), AMKE 0, MERL 5 (-21.9%), GYRF 2 (-52.4%), PEFA 3 (+114.3%), PRFA 5 (+25%), UA 1 (+100%), UB 1 (-76.2%), UE 0, UF 0, UU 0 TOTAL 1150 (-4.8%)

March Summary Mount Lorette (with percentage variance compared to 1993-2019 average excluding the anomalously low counts in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012) 25 days (-13.6 %), 284.4 hours (-8.8%) TUVU 0, OSPR 0, BAEA 75 (-27.4%), NOHA 0, SSHA 3 (+19.1%), COHA 0, NOGO 6 (-41.5%), BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 6 (+40.9%), FEHA 0, RLHA 2 (-59.7%), GOEA 1161 (-45.8%), AMKE 0, MERL 0, GYRF 0, PEFA 0, PRFA 1 (+12.5%), UA 0, UB 5 (+542.9%), UE 16 (+285.7), UF 1 (+170%), UU 1 (+35%) TOTAL 1277 (-44%)

Tuesday, March 31 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation possible. The ridges were obscured all day.

March Summary Steeples (with percentage variance compared to 2010-2019 average) 25 days (+20.2 %), 131.3 hours (+50.3%) TUVU 0, OSPR 0, BAEA 98 (-8.8%), NOHA 0, SSHA 0, COHA 0, NOGO 1 (-23.1%), BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 4 (-20%), FEHA 0, RLHA 1 (-54.5%), GOEA 300 (+1.5%), AMKE 0, MERL 0, GYRF 1 (first spring record), PEFA 0, PRFA 0, UA 0, UB 0, UE 2 (-9.1%), UF 0, UU 0 TOTAL 407 (-3%).

Monday, March 30 Beaver Mines [Day 35] 0650-2020 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature was 0C at 0650, fell to -1C at 0800 and -3C at 0900 and 1000; it was then variably -1C or -2 C to 1900 and was again 0C at 2000 and 2020. From 0650 to 0825 it was completely clear with a SW wind of 20-30 km/h and cloud cover of 20-30 % altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus. At 0720 an adult female light grey morph Gyrfalcon flew high and steadily overhead towards the NNW: a good start to the day! At 0820, however, a light fog developed on the floor of the valley and by 0825 a thick wall of fog had advanced from the ENE and completely obscured everything. This persisted to 1500 and was joined after 1200 by steady snow. At 0930 an adult female Sharp-shinned Hawk perched briefly before flying low to the north. Between 1720 and 1800 the ridge cleared but no migrants were seen and it again cleared at 1830 and at 1846 4 Golden Eagles were seen gliding high together from the SE: as they began to cross the valley towards to NW the snow returned and they were not seen again. Heavy to moderate snow then fell to 2015 when, almost mockingly, the ridge cleared again just before nightfall when there was 10 cm of fresh snow on the ground. No observation was possible at Mount Lorette as snow fell all day and obscured all ridges.  Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 17 Canada Geese, 14 Mallards, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 male Red-shafted Flicker, 3 Blue Jays, 7  American Crows, 3 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 2 American Robins, 10 European Starlings, 9 Evening Grosbeaks, 19 Pine Grosbeaks and 37 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 cismontanus and 35 montanus).

13.5 hours (411.7) SSHA 1 (17), GOEA 4 (891), GYRF 1 (2) TOTAL 6 (1268)

Monday, March 30 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation possible. It was overcast with rain for most of the day. The ridges slightly cleared at 1630 but were obscured again by 1700, and there was moderate clearing of the cloud by 1800 but the ridges remained mainly obscured.

Sunday, March 29 Beaver Mines [Day 34] 0650-2020 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0650 was 4C, the high at 1500 was 9.5C and it was 4C at 2020. Winds were SW-WSW all day 30-40 gusting 55 km/h to 1800 after which they were 15-20 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 70-100% altostratus and altocumulus that formed a Chinook arch until 1300 which then slowly moved to the NE and was replaced by 40-70% altocumulus, cumulus and cirrus that gave sunny conditions to 1600. The ridges to the SW of the site were obscured by low cloud after 1200, and between 1600 and 1820 rain squalls moved from the SW and partially obscured the ridge. After 1820 it cleared and cloud cover was 60-100% cumulus but low cloud persisted to the SW and to the S of the site. A total of 70 migrant raptors of 5 species were seen between 0712 and 1718 that comprised 15 Bald Eagles (9a, 1sa, 5j), 1 adult male Northern Harrier, 2 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 unidentified light morph Buteo and 49 Golden Eagles (40a, 2sa, 2j, 5u). Movement started early with 5 Golden Eagles counted between 0712 and 0730, but subsequently the migration was generally slow and sporadic with the exceptions of 0900-1000, 1500-1600 and 1600-1700 when 14, 19 and 12 birds were seen respectively. After 1700 the deteriorating weather to the south of the site only allowed movement of only 2 further birds and none were seen after 1718. At Mount Lorette Lori Anderson reported 36 migrants that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 juvenile Northern Goshawk, 1 adult rufous (intermediate) morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 1 unidentified Buteo, 28 Golden Eagles (15a, 3sa, 1j, 9u), 2 unidentified eagles and 1 large unidentified falcon in 12.5 hours of observation. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 22 Canada Geese, a flock of 150 Northern Pintails that flew very high to the NE at 1534, 8 Rock Pigeons, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 1 Killdeer, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 female Red-shafted Flicker, 3 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 4 American Crows, 24 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 7 American Robins, 7 European Starlings, 17 Pine Grosbeaks and 25 Dark-eyed [montanus] Juncos.

13.5 hours (398.2) BAEA 15 (224), NOHA 1 (5), SSHA 2 (16), RTHA 2 (27), UB 1 (1), GOEA 49 (887) TOTAL 70 (1262)

Sunday, March 29 Steeples [Day 25] 1130-1815 (Vance Mattson). The temperature at 1130 was 11C but by 1800 it had dropped to 5C when cloud enveloped the mountains and rain began. Winds were strong S and cloud cover was 60-80% altostratus, cumulus and stratus. A total of 7 Golden Eagles (5a, 1sa, 1u) moved between 1421 and 1744, with four of the eagles seen between 1613 and 1651. Non-migrants were 1 juvenile Bald Eagle, 1 Red-tailed Hawk and 1 adult Golden Eagle. The forecast for the next three days calls for rain and snow so the prospects for migration are not good.

6.75 hours (131.3) GOEA 7 (300) TOTAL 7 (407)

Saturday, March 28 Beaver Mines [Day 33] 0700-2030 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0700 was 2C, the high at 1300 was 8C and it was 4C at 2030. Winds were WSW-SW all day 40-50 gusting 65 km/h to 1500, 30-45 km/h to 1900 and finally 20-30 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 50-100% thin altostratus, altocumulus, cirrus and cumulus that, as yesterday, allowed sunshine or hazy sunshine all day and generally provided excellent observing conditions. A season-high total of 262 migrant raptors of 10 species was counted between 0932 and 2002 that comprised 27 Bald Eagles (24a, 1sa, 2j), 1 adult male Northern Harrier, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 9 Northern Goshawks (7a, 2u), 1 unidentified Accipiter, 3 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 213 Golden Eagles (189a, 8sa, 7j, 9u), 1u columbarius Merlin, 1 adult male Peregrine Falcon and 2 Prairie Falcons (1 male, 1u). As yesterday movement was initially slow with only 10 birds seen before 1200, but migration was strong throughout the afternoon culminating in a movement of 61 birds (57 Golden Eagles) between 1900 and 2000 with the last 6 Golden Eagles moving high to the NW at 2002. Both the combined-species and Golden Eagle totals were the second highest ever for a spring count at the site, but well below the highest counts here of 463 and 429 respectively on March 19, 2015. At Mount Lorette Graeme Dunlop reported 46 migrants that comprised 3 adult Bald Eagles and 22 Golden Eagles (15a, 3j, 25u) in 12.75 hours of observation. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 2 Canada Geese, a pair of Common Mergansers, 11 Rock Pigeons, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 female Red-shafted Flicker, 2 Blue Jays, 3 American Crows, 26 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 5 Mountain Chickadees, 2 American Robins, 6 European Starlings, 22 Pine Grosbeaks, a flock of 31 Grey-crowned Rosy Finches that flew north at 1720 and 26 Dark-eyed Juncos (1 cismontanus and 25 montanus).

13.5 hours (384.7) BAEA 27 (209), NOHA 1 (4), SSHA 3 (14), COHA 1 (4), NOGO 9 (32), UA 1 (1), RTHA 3 (25), GOEA 213 (838), MERL 1 (5), PEFA 1 (3), PRFA 2 (5) TOTAL 262 (1192)

Saturday, March 28 [Day 23] 1130-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 7C, winds were strong S and cloud cover was 90-100% altostratus and dark cumulus. The ridges were clear except for the face of Mount Bill Nye which was partly obscured for most of the day. When this mountain begins to cloud over it usually indicates that the migration is going to stop or, as today, that it is not going to start at all! The only resident bird seen was an adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk.

6.5 hours (124.5) TOTAL 0 (400)