Wednesday, November 06 Vicki Ridge [Day 45] 0800-1730 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson,  observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen  (1336-1700) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). Despite the snowfall warning that was in effect for the area yesterday and early this morning there was only 6 cm of fresh snow on the ground as most of the precipitation fell as freezing rain before it turned to snow yesterday evening.  The temperature at 0800 was -19C, the high between 1430 and 1600 was 1C and it was -1C after 1700. It was calm or SSW-variable up to 5 km/h to 1340 when the wind became W-WNW 15-20 gusting 30 km/h, and increased after 1500 to WNW 20-30 gusting 40 km/g that created blowing snow on both ridges. It was completely cloudless all day and despite the frigid start it was a beautiful day. The count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 21 birds of 3 species between 1052 and 1658 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa2, 5j), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 13 Golden Eagles (10a, 2sa, 1j). At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge Gord counted 11 birds of 3 species between 1344 and 1638 that comprised 5 Bald Eagles (1a, 4j), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 4 Golden Eagles (3a, 1u). The total movement observed across the ridge system between 1052 and 1658 was 32 migrants of 3 species that comprised 12 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa2, 9j), 3 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 17 Golden Eagles (13a, 2sa, 1j, 1u). The highest combined-site hourly count was 12 between 1500 and 1600. Other birds seen were a flock of 60 Canada Geese that flew to the south at 1057, a confused flock of 22 that flew west at 1116, flew back east at 1120 and finally headed south at 1126, a flock of 52 that flew west at 1135 and a flock of 80 that flew SW at 1625. A gut-pile of an eviscerated deer that was shot yesterday at the southern end of Vicki Ridge attracted around 100 Common Ravens and a dozen Black-billed Magpies as well as 2 migrating juvenile Bald Eagles that interrupted their southward flight to take  a protracted lunch-break. Other birds were 3 Canada Jays, 1 Steller’s Jay, 3 Bohemian Waxwings, 2u Pine Grosbeaks and a migrating flock of 28 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

9.5 hours (407.5) BAEA 12 (306), RLHA 3 (420), GOEA 17 (2688) TOTAL 32 (4354)

Wednesday, November 06 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation because of teaching commitments.

Tuesday, November 05 Vicki Ridge [Day 44] 0745-1000 (Peter Sherrington observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). There was again fog in Beaver Mines but at 0745 the ridges at the site were completely clear, the temperature was -1C, the wind was SE-E 5-10 gusting 15 km/h and cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus. At 0900 and 1000 the temperature was 0C, it was calm or light SE winds and light snow began to fall at 0905 that gradually increased in intensity and by 1000 all ridges were obscured. No migrant or resident raptors were seen and the only birds recorded were 16 Common Ravens most of which flew high to the east from Kyllo Ridge.

2.25 hours (398) TOTAL 0 (4322)

Tuesday, November 05 Steeples [Day 29] 1300-1630 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 5C, it was calm and cloud cover was 60-100% thin altostratus, cumulus and altocumulus. No migrant or resident raptors were seen.

3.5 hours (133.8) TOTAL 0 (447)

Monday, November 04 Vicki Ridge [Day 43] 1200-1730 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). There was thick fog all morning, but at 1145 the gloom in Beaver Mines became slightly lighter so we drove through the fog to the site where at 1200 it was 3C, calm, a very hazy sun was discernible and there was 2 cm of fresh snow on the ground. The fog began to lift at 1225 and by 1235 the ridges were completely clear and cloud cover was 60% altocumulus and altostratus. At 1300 the temperature fell to 1C but after 1400 it was 5C with the exception of 1600 when it reached the day’s high of 5.5C. After 1300 the winds were W all day, light to 1400, 10-15 gusting 30 km/h to 1630 and then 30 gusting 50 km/h for the rest of the day. After 1300 cloud cover was 60-100% altocumulus, dark cumulus and cirrus that allowed some sunny periods and gave good observing conditions throughout. There was a slow and sporadic raptor movement of 17 birds of 5 species between 1335 and 1700 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa, 1j), 1u female Northern Harrier, 1a Northern Goshawk, 7 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 5a Golden Eagles. The highest hourly count was 8 between 1500 and 1600 that included 5 Rough-legged Hawks that were seen between 1536 and 1551. Between 1241 and 1350 there were 6 sightings of non-migratory Golden Eagles (5a, 1sa) all of which soared low over Vicki Ridge before gliding to the north, and for a while it felt rather like we were watching a spring migration! The only other birds seen were 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 3 Black-billed Magpies, 68 Common Ravens and 35 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

5.5 hours (395.8) BAEA 3 (293), NOHA 1 (14), NOGO 1 (76), RLHA 7 (417), GOEA 5 (2671) TOTAL 17 (4322)

Monday, November 04 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation because of teaching commitments.

Sunday, November 03 Vicki Ridge [Day 42] 0730-1200 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0730 was 3C the high was 3.5 at 0800 and it was 1C at the end of observation at 1200. Winds were W 5-10 gusting 15 km/h to 0820 when they changed to NE 0-5 km/h and were E-SE 0-10 km/h after 0900. Cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus and altocumulus to 1030 when it lowered to 100% uniform grey stratus that brought light snow at 1015 that became steady moderate snow after 1140, and the count was abandoned for the day at 1200 when all ridges were obscured. Snow and low cloud persisted throughout the rest of the day. The only raptor seen was 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew high from Vicky Ridge across the valley to the southern end of Kyllo Ridge and on to the SW at 0937. Other birds seen were 3 Canada Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 4 Common Ravens, 2 Pine Siskins and 1 female hyemalis Dark-eyed Junco.

4.5 hours (390.3) SSHA 1 (512) TOTAL 1 (4305)

Sunday, November 03 Steeples [Day 29] 1200-1630 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 3C, it was calm and cloud cover was 50% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus that increased to 100% altostratus and cumulus. The only migrants seen were 2 Northern Harriers (1a female, 1u) that flapped and glided south at 1525. No resident birds were seen.

4.5 hours (130.3) NOHA 2 (13) TOTAL 2 (447)

Saturday, November 02 Vicki Ridge [Day 41] 0830-1830 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, assisted by Phil Nicholas observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge). The temperature at 0830 was 1C, the high from 1300 to 1500 was 6C and it was 5C for the rest of the day. Winds were generally strong W all day 40-50 gusting 60 km/h except at 1800 when they gusted to 70 km/h. Cloud cover was 80-90% cirrostratus, altocumulus, lenticular and cumulus to 1100, it was mainly sunny with 30-70% altocumulus and cirrostratus to 1445 and then 90-100% altostratus, altocumulus, cirrostratus and dark cumulus gave gloomy conditions for the rest of the day. Observing conditions were good throughout the day. There was a fairly strong raptor movement of 45 birds of 5 species between 0905 and 1749 that comprised 11 Bald Eagles (9a, 1sa2, 1j), 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 1u), 6 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 23 Golden Eagles (16a, 2sa, 5j), 1 unidentified eagle and 1j female Peregrine Falcon. With the exception of 1200-1300 and 1500-1600 when 1 and 2 raptors were counted respectively, movement was fairly steady and peaked at 12 birds between 1400 and 1500. The only other birds seen were 1 Black-billed Magpie, 46 Common Ravens, a flock of 50 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches that were put up above the ridge by a passing Sharp-shinned hawk at 0945, and 3 Dark-eyed [hyemalis] Juncos.

10 hours (385.8) BAEA 11 (290), SSHA 3 (511), RLHA 6 (410), GOEA 23 (2666), UE 1 (19), PEFA 1 (11) TOTAL 45 (4304)

Saturday, November 02 Steeples [Day 29] 1515-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature rose from 1C to 4C, it was calm throughout and an initial cloud cover of 50-70% thin altostratus that gave sunny conditions became 100% grey altostratus by 1600. The count was similar to that of yesterday but the migrants today were 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 1j) that moved between 1520 and 1545, and again migrant pairs were seen twice. The only non-migrant was again an adult Northern Goshawk, which again soared above the ridge.

3.75 hours (126.8) BAEA 5 (154) TOTAL 5 (445)