Mount Lorette (08 Mar 2025) 7 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 08, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 7 | 33 | 33 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 7 | 41 | 41 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8 hours |
| Official Counter | Blake Weis, Lynn MacIntosh |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
27 visitors stopped to talk. Thanks to the 3 people to stopped to look for eagles!
Weather:
The weather was remarkably consistent until the last hour of observation. The temperature was 4 C at the beginning, the high was 6, and it only fell to 5 by the end. There was strong wind from the S-SW with gusts frequently reaching 40 km/h at ground level, and ridge wind must have been very strong judging by the amount of blowing snow. Cloud cover was 20-40% cumulus, cirrus and cirrostratus. A weather system was clinging to the western ridges all day, obscuring the taller peaks and sending the occasional flake of snow into the valley. Around 4 PM the wind died down and that weather system slowly started moving into the valley. The count was concluded at 5 PM as light snow began to fall.
Raptor Observations:
The count was 7 Golden Eagles (2 adults & 5 unaged). They often appeared low over the Fisher Range, then used very strong updrafts to kite high into the sky over the east side of the valley before turning north towards Mt. Lorette. The first migrant wasn’t seen until nearly 2 PM. Afterwards, movement was slow but steady. They usually stayed tucked up kiting and gliding but did very little soaring, rarely showing features needed for ageing. No non-migrant raptors were observed.
Non-raptor Observations:
Other birds included 1 Northern Shrike, 2 Canada Jays, 8 Common Ravens, 1 Boreal Chickadee, and 70 Bohemian Waxwings. The wind seemed to keep bird activity subdued. 1 White-tailed Deer was also seen.
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Mount Lorette (07 Mar 2025) 24 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 07, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 19 | 26 | 26 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 24 | 34 | 34 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 18:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 9.1 hours |
| Official Counter | Blake Weis, Sofia Preece |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
46 people stopped to talk, including a few tour groups. Thanks to Cliff, Kevin and Ed for stopping to spot migrants!
Weather:
The temperature was -2 C at the start of observation. It rose to a high of 7 in the afternoon, then fell to 5 as we were leaving. Ground wind was nearly calm in the morning, but it picked up in the afternoon with gusts around 30 km/h from the S-SW. Ridge wind was moderate to strong from the WSW. Cloud cover was around 10% in the morning, but increased later in the day to nearly 100%. Conditions for spotting and identification were good most of the time.
Raptor Observations:
The count for the day was 19 Golden Eagles (13 adults & 6 unaged) and 5 Bald Eagles (4 adults & 1 sub-adult 1). All of them used the eastern ridges. Movement was sporadic without a noticeable peak. The last Golden Eagle perched near the summit of Mt. Lorette for a while before moving on. One young Golden Eagle (a juvenile or sub-adult 1) seemed to be migrating along the Fisher Range at first, but then it flew west across the valley before turning back south. That bird was considered to be non-migrant since it seemed to be cruising around looking for food rather than actively migrating. One of the local adult Goshawks flew close by the site.
Non-raptor Observations:
Other birds were 1 Northern Pygmy Owl (first heard at the site, then seen nearby by one of the observers), 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Canada Jays, 8 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 4 Boreal Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, and 1 American Dipper. Mammals included a Snowshoe Hare and 5 White-tailed Deer.
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Mount Lorette (06 Mar 2025) 10 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 06, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 18:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 9 hours |
| Official Counter | Caroline Lambert |
| Observers: | Lynette MacCulloch |
Visitors:
Eight people stopped to talk.
Weather:
The temperature started at -4C, rose to a high of 5C by late afternoon, then dropped rapidly after the sun went behind the west ridge and ended at 1C. A few cumulus clouds were hanging over both ridges in the morning, but these gradually dissipated and by noon the sky was clear. There was very little wind at any level until late afternoon, when finally snow was seen blowing off the higher points on the ridges.
Raptor Observations:
The first migrant seen was an adult Bald Eagle flying low along the east ridge in the early afternoon. Most of the rest of the eagles were spotted disappearing to the northwest beyond Mt Lorette, low down and never getting much height. A couple of Golden Eagles were spotted disappearing over Nakiska early in the afternoon. The end result was seven Golden Eagles (3a, 4u) and three adult Bald Eagles.
The first raptor of the day was a local American Goshawk, first seen hunting over the lower slopes of Nakiska, and then it headed over to Hummingbird Plume to continue its hunt.
Non-raptor Observations:
Other birds were 2 Mountain Chickadees, 1 American Dipper, 1 American Tree Sparrow, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Canada Jays, and 8 Common Ravens.
Report submitted by ()
Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
