Wednesday, April 08 Beaver Mines [Day 44] 0645-2030 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was -3C, the high at 1799 was 5.5C and it was 1C at 2030; and winds were mainly light (2-12 km/h) NNE-E all day. Cloud cover was initially 100% stratocumulus that obscured the top of the ridge to 0755 after which it was clear. At 1100 the cloud cover started to break with 60% cirrus and cumulus at 1200 and it was cloudless from 1230 to 1400. After 1400 100% uniform grey altostratus developed that persisted to 1700 after which it was 80-90% altostratus, altocumulus and increasing cirrus, 100% cirrostratus at 2000 and completely cloudless at 2030. Observing conditions were generally good and it was a pleasant day but the light upslope winds were unfavourable for migration and only 10 birds of 5 species were seen between 1324 and 1805, five of which occurred between 1608 and 1656. The count was 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks. 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 4 adult Golden Eagles and 1 adult female Peregrine Falcon. Non-migrants were 1 adult male Northern Harrier and 2 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks. At Mount Lorette Caroline Lambert reported 48 migrants in 13.25 hours of observation that comprised a season-high 14 Bald Eagles (4a, 9sa, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 3 adult  calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2 light morphs and 1 rufous morph) and 30 Golden Eagles (9a, 6sa, 7j, 8u). Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 36 Canada Geese, 1 pair of Northern Shoveler that were the first for the year, 18 Mallards, 1 Green-winged Teal, a lek of 18 Wild Turkeys, 14 Rock Pigeons, 2 Killdeer, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, a pair of Red-shafted Flickers, 1 Blue Jay, 13 American Crows, 21 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 10 American Robins, 90 European Starlings, 28 Pine Grosbeaks, 1 female House Finch, 1 female Cassin’s Finch that was the first of the season, and 27 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 cismontanus and 25 montanus).

13.75 hours (533.5) SSHA 1 (39) RTHA 2 (114), RLHA 2 (54), GOEA 4 (1018), PEFA 1 (5) TOTAL 10 (1601)

Wednesday, April 08 Steeples [Day 33] 1200-1830 (Vance Mattson). It was another pleasant day with the temperature reaching 12C, it was calm and cloud cover was up to 20% cumulus, altostratus and lenticular apart from between 1500 and 1600 when 80% thin altostratus formed. Conditions were mainly sunny. Six migrant raptors, 1 adult Turkey Vulture and 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 2j) were seen between 1215 and 1440. Non-migrants were 13 Turkey Vultures, 6 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 2j) with one of the adults seen carrying nesting material, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, and one adult resident Golden Eagle that dive-bombed a migrating adult Bald Eagle at 1245.

6.5 hours (175.3) TUVU 1 (2), BAEA 5 (115) TOTAL 6 (446)

Tuesday, April 07 Beaver Mines [Day 43] 0645-2030 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was 4C, the high from 1600 to around 1830 was 9C when a cold front passed that reduced the temperature to 1.5C at 1900 and at 2030 it was -1C. Winds were favourable SW-WSW 40-50 gusting 65 km/h to 1830 when the ground winds switched to ENE 20-30 gusting 50 km/h although the WSW winds persisted on the ridge to 1900. Cloud cover was 60-100% cirrostratus, altostratus, cirrus and cumulus to 1500 that reduced to 10% scattered cumulus at 1600 and was then 30-70% cumulus for the rest of the day. There was no precipitation of any kind and viewing conditions were excellent all day. The day started promisingly with the first Golden Eagle gliding high to the NNW at 0657, but the second Golden Eagle, that was the 1000^th of the season, did not appear until 0912 and by 1100 only 4 migrants had been seen. The pace then quickened and there was a steady movement of raptors to 1900 after which only a single Bald Eagle moved north at 1932. The final count was 91 birds of 10 species that comprised 2 Turkey Vultures (1a, 1u) that were the first of the season, 25 Bald Eagles (15a, 1sa2, 9j), 3 adult Northern Harriers (1 male, 2 females), a season-high 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 5u), 30 Red-tailed Hawks (28 calurus: 23 light (21a, 1j, 1u), 5a dark; and 2a dark harlani), 1 adult light morph Ferruginous Hawk, 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 1 unidentified dark morph Buteo, 16 Golden Eagles (11a, 5j), a season-high 4 columbarius Merlins (3 males, 1 female) and 1 adult female Peregrine Falcon. At Mount Lorette George Halmazna reported 18 migrants in 12.42 hours of observation that comprised 5 Bald Eagles (2a, 2j, 1u), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 adult dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 10 Golden Eagles (7a, 1sa, 1j, 1u) and 1u American Kestrel that was the first of the year. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 8 Canada Geese, 18 Mallards, 1 pair of Hooded Mergansers that were new for the year, 5 Wild Turkeys, 6 Rock Pigeons, 2 Greater Sandhill Cranes that flew high to the NE at 1030 for the first seasonal record, 1 Killdeer, 1 Great blue Heron that perched beside the creek for 2 hours, 1 Blue Jay, 42 American Crows, 19 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 35 American Robins, 70 European Starlings, 24 Evening Grosbeaks, 13 Pine Grosbeaks, 60 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 37 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 cismontanus and 35 montanus). Two adult Sharp-shinned Hawks briefly passed through the site but caused little disturbance.

13.75 hours (519.7) TUVU 2 (2), BAEA 25 (289), NOHA 3 (16), SSHA 7 (38), RTHA 30 (112), FEHA 1 (2), RLHA 1 (52), UB 1 (4), GOEA 16 (1014), MERL 4 (9), PEFA 1 (4) TOTAL 91 (1591)

Tuesday, April 07 Steeples [Day 32] 1200-1830 (Vance Mattson). It was a beautiful day with a temperature that reached 12C, moderate SW winds and 0-30% cumulus, altocumulus and thin altostratus that gave sunny skies. Despite these apparently ideal conditions only 4 migrants were seen: 1u Turkey Vulture that was the first migratory bird of the species seen, 2 adult Bald Eagles, and 1u Golden Eagle. Non-migrants were 8 Turkey Vultures, 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult female Northern Harrier (the first of the year), 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks that were active throughout including a brief display flight over the site.

6.5 hours (168.8) TUVU 1 (1), BAEA 2 (110), GOEA 1 (318) TOTAL 4 (440)

Monday, April 06 Beaver Mines [Day 42] 0645-2030 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was 0C, the high from 1500 to 1900 was 6C and it was still 5C at 2030. Winds were WSW-SW all day, light to 0830 then 20-30 gusting to 45 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 90-100% cumulus to 0900 that brought snow between 0745 and 0800 (1 cm) and then a few flurries but subsequently it cleared and 30-50% cumulus and altostratus reduced to 10% cumulus and cloudless skies to 1730 after which 70-100% altostratus developed for the rest of the day. Migration conditions were ideal and produced a count of 122 raptors of 7 species that moved steadily at generally high altitudes between 0835 and 1959. The count comprised 26 Bald Eagles (22a, 2sa2, 1sa1, 1j), a season-high 6 Northern Harriers (3 males (2a, 1j) and 3 adult females), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, a season-high 34 adult Red-tailed Hawks (28 calurus (25 light 3 dark) and 6 dark morph harlani), 1 unidentified dark morph Buteo, 52 Golden Eagles (23a, 5sa, 24j) and the season’s first American Kestrel, a female bird that flew high to the north at 0923. The highest hourly counts were 18 between 1500 and 1600 and again between 1600 and 1700. A resident pair of Northern Harriers was also present with the male seen vigorously displaying over the ridge on a number of occasions, and a resident pair of Red-tailed Hawks was seen hunting.  At Mount Lorette Blake Weis reported 23 migrants in 12.83 hours of observation that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa1), 1u Northern Goshawk, 2 adult Red-tailed Hawks (1 light morph calurus and 1 intermediate morph harlani), 16 Golden Eagles (4a, 6sa, 6u) and 2 unidentified raptors (1 large and 1 medium). Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 9 Canada Geese, 8 Mallards, 1 Green-winged Teal, 33 Rock Pigeons, 3 Blue Jays, 34 American Crows, 24 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 6 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire that was the first of the year, 1 American Robin, 10 European Starlings, 4 Bohemian Waxwings, 1 male Evening Grosbeak,  8 Pine Grosbeaks, 174 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches flying in 3 flocks, 1 female House Finch that was the first of the year  and 25 Dark-eyed [montanus] Juncos.   A single male Sharp-shinned Hawk made 4 rapid unsuccessful sweeps through the site at 0817 and was not seen again.

13.75 hours (506) BAEA 26 (264), NOHA 6 (13), SSHA 1 (31), NOGO 1 (35), RTHA 34 (82), UB 1 (3), GOEA 52 (998), AMKE 1 (1) TOTAL 122 (1500)

Monday, April 06 Steeples [Day 31] 1200-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature reached a high of 9C from a low of 5C, winds were light to moderate SW and 20% cumulus to 60% thin altostratus cloud cover gave sunny conditions. A total of 14 migrants of 4 species moved between 1216 and 1234 that comprised 3 juvenile Bald Eagles, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk and 9 Golden Eagles (5a, 3j, 1u). Nine of the migrants moved before 1300. Non-migrant birds were 3 Golden Eagles (2a, 1j) that were seen several times including a display flight, 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 2sa), many sightings of Red-tailed Hawks that hovered and hunted above the ridges, and 5 sightings of Turkey Vultures which were the first of the year at the site although a single bird was seen over the Kootenay River last week.

6.5 hours (162.3) BAEA 3 (108), RTHA 1 (5), RLHA 1 (2), GOEA 9 (317) TOTAL 14 (436)

Sunday, April 05 Beaver Mines [Day 41] 0645-2015 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was -7C, the high at 1500 and 1600 was 0C and it was -2C at 2015. Winds were ENE-NE 3-15 km/h to 1600 when they switched to WSW 10 km/h that gusted to 25 km/h at 2000. The day started with dense fog that persisted to 0725 then a cloud cover of 100% stratus, cumulus and stratocumulus produced light to very light snow that mainly obscured the ridge to 1300 but left only 0.5 cm on the ground. The sky began to clear at 1300 and cloud cover was 70-90% cumulus and stratocumulus to 1800 when cirrus cloud started to develop with the cumulus and at 2015 increased to 100% cirrostratus. There was hazy sunshine for much of the afternoon and observation conditions were very good once the snow stopped. A total of 40 migrant raptors of 6 species were seen between 1221 and 1906 which is our highest count since March 29. The flight was 8 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa2, 1j), 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, a season-high 13 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (10 light, 1 rufous, 2 dark), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 16 Golden Eagles (13a, 1sa, 2u). Movement was very sporadic and exclusively to the east of the ridge to 1600 when the wind change switched the movement to the west of the ridge which peaked at 10 birds between 1700 and 1800 and 14 birds between 1800 and 1900. Many of the late-moving birds glided very high. At Mount Lorette Lori Anderson reported 25 migrants in 11 hours of observation that was shortened by heavy snow. The total comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa), 1u Northern Goshawk, 1 adult rufous morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 20 Golden Eagles (12a, 4sa, 1j, 3u) and 1 large indeterminate raptor. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 6 Canada Geese, 6 Mallards, 17 Rock Pigeons, 1 Killdeer, 1 Great Blue Heron that flew high to the SW above the valley at 1950, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 5 Blue Jays, 2 Black-billed Magpies, 14 American Crows, 38 Common Ravens, 5 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 4 American Robins, 24 European Starlings, 7 Pine Grosbeaks, 25 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches of which 5 were the race littoralis, 1 American Tree Sparrow and 41 Dark-eyed Juncos (2 hyemalis, 4cismontanus, 35 montanus). Two adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, a male and a female, were frequently seen at the site this morning between 0828 and 1145 where they often perched close to each other and once they appeared to hunt cooperatively. The only prey species seen being eaten was a European Starling.

13.5 hours (492.2) BAEA 8 (238), SSHA 1 (30), NOGO 1 (34), RTHA 13 (48), RLHA 1 (51), GOEA 16 (946) TOTAL 40 (1378)

Sunday, April 05 Steeples [Day 30] 1530-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 3C, it was calm and cloud cover was 100% altostratus and stratus that entirely shrouded the ridges to 1500. After 1500 the ridges partially cleared but no migrant or resident raptors were seen.

2.5 hours (155.8) TOTAL 0 (422)

Saturday, April 04 Beaver Mines [Day 40] 0645-2030 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0645 was -11C, the high at 1400, 1600 and 1700 was -5C and it was -7C at 2030, and winds were NE-NNE all day 6-18 km/h. Cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1025 that produced steady light snow that mostly obscured the ridge and added a further 2 cm to the overnight accumulation of 4 cm. After 1025 cloud cover was 60-100% cumulus that gave hazy sunshine and a clear ridge for the rest of the day, although the cloud thickened to 90-100% cumulus and stratus after 1700 and at 2015 light snow again began to fall. There was a slow, sporadic but varied raptor migration with 18 birds of 7 species moving between 1116 and 1812 that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult male Northern Harrier, 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 4 adult Red-tailed Hawks (3 light morph calurus and 1 dark morph harlani), 6 Golden Eagles (5a, 2sa, 1j) and 1 adult female light grey morph Gyrfalcon. Twelve of the birds were counted between 1416 and 1548. At Mount Lorette Blake Weis reported 46 migrants in 12.58 hours of observation that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), 2 adult Northern Goshawks, 1 adult dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 39 Golden Eagles (21a, 5sa, 3j, 10u) and 1u female columbarius Merlin that was a first for the season. Other birds seen at Beaver Mines were 2 Canada Geese, 6 Mallards, 1 male Common Merganser, 18 Rock Pigeons, 1 Eurasian Collared Dove, 2 Killdeer, 1 Northern Shrike, 2 Blue Jays, 71 American Crows, 18 Common Ravens, 5 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 1 American Robin, 15 European Starlings and 33 Dark-eyed Juncos (3 cismontanus, 30 montanus). The site was again regularly visited by 2 or 3 non-migratory adult Sharp-shinned Hawks between 0910 and 2003 that again periodically cleared the area of birds but no catches were observed. The total lack of grosbeaks and significantly reduced junco numbers today suggest that many songbirds had moved to safer feeding areas.

13.75 hours (478.7) BAEA 1 (230), NOHA 1 (7), SSHA 2 (29), NOGO 1 (33), RTHA 4 (35), GOEA 8 (930), GYRF 1 (3) TOTAL 18 (1338)

Saturday, April 04 Steeples [Day 29] 1215-1815 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 4C, it was calm and cloud cover was 80-50% cumulus that gave mainly sunny conditions. The only migrants were single adult Golden Eagles at 1528 and 1653. Non-migrant birds were 3 Golden Eagles (2a, 1j) that included pair flights by the adults and included strong display flights by the male bird; 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk and two sightings of Red-tailed Hawks.

6 hours (153.3) GOEA 2 (308) TOTAL 2 (422)