Saturday, October 05 Vicki Ridge [Day 14] 0820-1920 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson assisted by Patricia and Patrick Farley observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge and Gord Petersen (1243-1845) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature was 4C at 0820, the high was 9C at 1600 and it was 5C at 1920. Winds were again W-WSW all day 20-40 km/h to 1100 after which they were 30-40 gusting 55 km/h. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus and altocumulus to 1100 after which it gradually reduced to 10% cumulus at 1600 before increasing again to 70% altostratus, cirrus and cumulus at 1700 and 1800, and was finally cloudless at 1900. Again observing conditions were excellent all day. The count from WT 61 was 186 birds of 7 species between 0844 and 1859 that comprised 14 Bald Eagles (6a, 4sa, 4j), 1j male Northern Harrier, 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (4a, 3u),  1a light calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 4 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 158 Golden Eagles (92a, 17sa, 47j, 2u) and 1 female American Kestrel. Similar to yesterday there was a two-hour hiatus in movement between 1500 and 1700 when only 8 birds were counted. At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge between 1246 and 1844 Gord counted 107 birds of 7 species that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa, 1j), 23 Sharp-shinned Hawks (7a, 16u), 2 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1u), 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1u), 2a Red-tailed Hawks (1 light calurus and 1 dark harlani), 5 Rough-legged Hawks (4 light, 1 dark) and 69 Golden Eagles (44a, 8sa, 14j, 3u). The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0844 and 1859 was 293 migrants of 9 species that comprised 17 Bald Eagles (7a, 5sa, 5j), 1j male Northern Harrier, 30 Sharp-shinned Hawks (11a, 19u), 2 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1u), 3a Red-tailed Hawks (2 light calurus and 1 dark harlani), 9 Rough-legged Hawks (8 light and 1 dark), 227 Golden Eagles (136a, 25sa, 61j, 5u) and 1 female American Kestrel. The highest combined-site hourly count was 49 between 1300 and 1400. Only three other bird species seen: 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 58 Common Ravens and 75 American Robins, and a single Mourning Cloak butterfly was again seen on the wing.

11 hours (131.7) BAEA 17 (58), NOHA 1 (10), SSHA 30 (336), COHA 2 (50), NOGO 3 (16), RTHA 3 (97), RLHA 9 (21), GOEA 227 (665), AMKE 1 (17) TOTAL 293 (1324)

Saturday, October 05 Steeples [Day 7] 1200-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature reached a high of 11C, winds were light to moderate S-SW and cloud cover varied between 100% altostratus and cumulus and 60% cumulus. The ridges were clear but light rain fell between 1525 and 1540 that fell as snow at ridge level. A total of 21 raptors of a season-high 7 species moved between 1250 and 1651 comprising 7 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 3j), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1a Northern Goshawk, 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 8a Golden Eagles, 1 unidentified eagle, 1 female American Kestrel and 1u Merlin. Non-migrants were 1 adult Bald Eagle and an adult and juvenile Golden eagle that soared at length in front of and above Mount Bill Nye.

6 hours (22.75) BAEA 7 (22), SSHA 1 (15), NOGO 1 (1), RTHA 1 (11), GOEA 8 (19), UE 1, AMKE 1 (3), MERL 1 (1) TOTAL 21 (75)

Friday, October 04 Vicki Ridge [Day 13] 0815-1920 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson assisted by Denise Cocciolone-Amatto observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge and Gord Petersen (1310-1905) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 4C, the high at 1400 and 1500 was 10C and it was 5.5C at 1920. Winds were WSW-W all day 20-40 km/h that gusted to 50 km/h only at 1600. It was cloudless to 1200 when cirrus and cumulus cloud began to form and by 1345 it had reached 80% altostratus, cirrostratus and cumulus which then fluctuated between 50 and 90% for the rest of the afternoon. Observing conditions were good to excellent throughout. The count on Vicki Ridge was 127 birds of 6 species between 0910 and 1907 that comprised 6 Bald Eagles (1a, 3sa, 2j),13 Sharp-shinned Hawks (10a, 3u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 3a Red-tailed Hawks (1 light and 1 dark calurus and 1 dark harlani), 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 101 Golden Eagles (55a, 11sa, 35j). Fifty-five Golden Eagles were seen up to 1231, none were seen for the next 2 hours, then 46 more were counted between 1431 and 1907. Between 1313 and 1905 at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge Gord counted 107 birds of 5 species that comprised 8 Bald Eagles (2a, 2sa, 4j), 30 Sharp-shinned Hawks (7a, 1j, 22u), 3 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1j, 1u), 2a Red-tailed Hawks (1 light calurus and 1 dark harlani), and 64 Golden Eagles (44a, 5sa, 11j, 4u). The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0910 and 1907 was 234 migrants of 6 species that comprised 14 Bald Eagles (3a, 5sa, 6j), 43 Sharp-shinned Hawks (17a, 1j, 25u), 4 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1j 1), 5a Red-tailed Hawks (3 calurus: 2 light and 1 dark, and 2 dark morph harlani), 3 light Rough-legged Hawks and 165 Golden Eagles (99a, 16sa, 46j, 4u). The highest combined-site hourly count was 45 between 1700 and 1800. Other bird species seen were 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 2 Black-billed Magpies, 20 Common Ravens, 213 American Robins, 1 juvenile Cedar Waxwing, 1 Savannah Sparrow and 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers. A single Mourning Cloak butterfly was also seen on the wing.

11.08 hours (120.7) BAEA 14 (41), SSHA 43 (306), COHA 4 (48), RTHA 5 (94), RLHA 3 (12), GOEA 165 (438) TOTAL 234 (1031)

Friday, October 04 Steeples [Day 6] 1300-1730 (Vance Mattson, assisted by Virginia Rasch). The temperature was 10C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 100% altostratus and cumulus. Only 2 migrants, 1 juvenile Bald eagle and 1 adult Golden Eagle, moved between 1545 and 1555, and no resident birds were seen.

4.5 hours (22.75) BAEA 1 (15), GOEA 1 (11) TOTAL 2 (54)

Thursday, October 03 Vicki Ridge [Day 12] 0830-1915 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge and Gord Petersen (1330-1815) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 3C, the high at 1400 was 11.5C and it was 5.5C at 1915. Winds were again W-WSW all day, initially 30-40 gusting 55 km/h after which they were 30 gusting 40 for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was initially 100% altostratus that formed a Chinook arch that slowly moved to the east and after 1200 50-70% altostratus and altocumulus gave sunny conditions to 1700 when the arch re-formed. Observing conditions were excellent all day. The count on Vicki Ridge was 41 birds between 0919 and 1832 that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa, 1j), 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (4a, 3u), 2a Cooper’s Hawks, 6a Red-tailed Hawks (3 light and 2 dark calurus and 1 dark harlani), 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 17 Golden Eagles (8a, 2 sa, 7j), 1 male American Kestrel, 2 Gyrfalcons (1 grey morph and 1 white morph) and 1 male Prairie Falcon. The count of 30 birds between 1347 and 1807 at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge was 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa), 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 4u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 1a Northern Goshawk, 1a light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 1a “Krider’s” Red-tailed Hawk and 2a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 2 light Rough-legged Hawks, 13 Golden Eagles (5a, 5sa, 1j, 2u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0919 and 1832 was 71  migrants of 11 species that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (4a, 2sa, 1j), 12 Sharp-shinned Hawks (5a, 7u), 3 Cooper’s Hawks (2a, 1u), 1a Northern Goshawk, 1a Light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 9a Red-tailed Hawks (1 “Krider’s”, 7 calurus: 5 light and 2 dark morphs, and 1 dark morph harlani), 3 Rough-legged Hawks (2 light, 1 dark), 30 Golden Eagles (13a, 7sa, 8j, 2u), 1 unidentified eagle, 1 male American Kestrel, 2 Gyrfalcons (1 grey and 1 white morph) and 1 male Prairie Falcon. The highest hourly count was 14 between 1700 and 1800. Other bird species seen were 1 Blue Jay, 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 5 American Crows, 22 Common Ravens, 9 Mountain Bluebirds, 140 American Robins, 30 Cedar Waxwings that flew south in a single flock at 1145, and 1 Dark-eyed [Oregon] Junco.

10.75 hours (109.6) BAEA 7 (27), SSHA 12 (263), COHA 3 (44), NOGO 1 (13), BWHA 1 (6), RTHA 9 (89), RLHA 3 (9), GOEA 30 (273), UE 1 (6), AMKE 1 (16), GYRF 2 (3) PRFA 1 (2) TOTAL 71 (797)

Thursday, October 03 Steeples [Day 5] 1345-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 100% altostratus and cumulus. Although the ridges were clear no migrant or resident raptors were seen.

3.25 hours (18.25) TOTAL 0 (52)

Wednesday, October 02 Vicki Ridge [Day 10] 0830-1900 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson assisted by Denise Cocciolone-Amatto observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge and Gord Petersen (1320-1845) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 2C, the high at 1600 was 8.5C and it was 4C at 1900. Winds were steady W-WSW all day 30 gusting to 45 km/h and cloud cover was 90-70% altostratus, cirrus and altocumulus to 1130 after which it cleared rapidly to 10% cirrus and altocumulus and was essentially cloudless after 1600.  The count on Vicki Ridge was 49 birds between 0947 and 1752 that comprised 1undifferentiated immature Bald Eagle, 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (5a, 2u), 1 adult Cooper’s Hawk, 1 undifferentiated small Accipiter, 5 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus light 1a; calurus dark 2a and 2 dark harlani 1a, 1j), 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 1 unidentified light morph Buteo, 31 Golden Eagles (12a, 3 sa, 16j), and 1 male American Kestrel. The count of 59 birds between 1329 and 1839 at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge was 2a Bald Eagles, 17 Sharp-shinned Hawks (9a, 8u), 3 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 2u), 1a dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 33 Golden Eagles (16a, 5sa, 2j, 10u), 2 unidentified eagles and 1 unidentified large falcon. Many of the birds were moving well west of the ridge towards Carbondale ridge and several were seen only as silhouettes against the late afternoon sun. The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0947 and 1839 was 108  migrants of 8 species that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1 undifferentiated immature), 24 Sharp-shinned Hawks (14a, 10u), 4 Cooper’s Hawks (2a, 2u),1 undifferentiated small Accipiter, 6 Red-tailed Hawks (4 adult calurus: 1 light and 3 dark morphs, and 2 dark morph harlani: 1a, 1j), 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 1 unidentified light morph Buteo, 64 Golden Eagles (28a, 8sa, 18j, 10u), 2 unidentified eagles, 1 male American Kestrel and 1 large falcon that was probably a either a Peregrine or a Prairie Falcon. The highest hourly count was 23 between 1700 and 1800. Other bird species seen were 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, a flock of 18 American Crows that flew north at 1430, 34 Common Ravens, 10 Mountain Bluebirds, 25 American Robins with most of yesterday’s 1000 birds having flown south under last night’s clear sky, 20 Cedar Waxwings that flew south in a single flock at 1035 and 2 Dark-eyed [Oregon] Juncos.

10.5 hours (98.83) BAEA 3 (20), SSHA 24 (251), COHA 4 (41), UA 1 (5), RTHA 6 (80), RLHA 1 (6), UB 1 (5), GOEA 64 (2430, UE 2 (5), AMKE 1 (15), UF 1 (2) TOTAL 108 (726)

Wednesday, October 02 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation because of teaching commitments.

Monday, October 01 Vicki Ridge [Day 10] 0930-1915 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson assisted by Gord Petersen observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0930 was -2C, the high at 1600 was 7C and it was 0C at 1915. Winds were W-WSW all day 10-15 gusting 20 km/h to 1730 after which they were calm to light, and it was cloudless all day with traces of cumulus cloud at 1500 and 1600. There was a moderate but diverse raptor movement of 55 birds of 11 species between 1133 and 1818 that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 2j), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1a Cooper’s Hawk, 1 adult male Northern Goshawk, 1a light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 1a “Krider’s Red-tailed Hawk” (B. j borealis var krideri), 1a dark morph Ferruginous Hawk, 39 Golden Eagles (24a, 1sa, 14j), 1 unidentified eagle, 1 male American Kestrel, 2 columbarius Merlins (1 male, 1 female) and 1 female light intermediate morph Gyrfalcon. The Gyrfalcon perched for 6 minutes on the high point of Vicki Ridge before flying to the east, and was the eighteenth raptor species recorded on this season’s count. Movement was generally slow but steady and 37 of the migrants were recorded between 1300 and 1600 with a high hourly count of 14 between 1400 and 1500. Other bird species were 1 Wilson’s Snipe that flew low to the north past the site at 1245, 1 female Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Cassin’s Vireo that was a first October record for the area, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 61 Common Ravens, 24 Mountain Bluebirds, a conservatively estimated 1000 American Robins that perched throughout the valley and filled the sky all day, and 2 Dark-eyed [Oregon] Juncos. It was a most interesting day.

9.75 hours (88.33) BAEA 4 (17), SSHA 1 (227), COHA 1 (37), NOGO 1 (12), BWHA 1 (5), RTHA 1 (74), FEHA 1 (6), GOEA 39 (179), UE 1 (3), AMKE 1 (14), MERL 2 (8), GYRF 1 (1) TOTAL 54 (618)

Monday, October 01 Steeples [Day 4] 1400-1800 (Vance Mattson). It was a beautiful sunny day with a temperature of 8C, calm conditions and 40% cumulus cloud cover. A total of 8 migrants of 3 species moved between 1451 and 1736 comprising 6 Bald Eagles (3a, 3j), 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 1 adult Golden Eagle. Five Bald Eagles and the Red-tailed Hawk were seen between 1645 and 1700. The resident Golden Eagle pair was seen for the first time this season with this year’s juvenile bird: one adult and the juvenile soared together between 1650 and 1705.

4 hours (18) BAEA 6 (14), RTHA 1 (10), GOEA 1 (10) TOTAL 8 (52)