Tuesday, October 22 Vicki Ridge [Day 30] 0830-1845 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, assisted by Phil Nicholas, Gord Petersen and Peter Hodgkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen assisted by Peter Hodgkinson (1210-1320) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0845 was 6.5C, the high was 10C at 1500 and it was 6C at 1845 but there were many short-term variations as rain and hail clouds periodically swept east from the mountains: at 1200, for example, the temperature was 9C but at 1300 it was 5C that recovered to 8C at 1400. Winds were strong W-WSW all day 60-70 gusting 100 km/h to 1030 after which they diminished to 40-50 gusting 70 km/h to 1300 and were then 30-40 gusting 50 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover also varied widely with 70- 80 % stratocumulus and cumulus that brought periods of rain and hail to 1300, after which it 40-50% cumulus and altocumulus that allowed sunny periods between 1330 and 1530, and then 90-100% mainly dark cumulus developed again for the rest of the day that brought light rain showers. Not surprisingly raptor movement was generally slow and sporadic until late afternoon when there was an influx of 16 Rough-legged Hawks between 1724 and 1805. The count of 53 birds of 8 species between 0936 and 1905 comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 5 Northern Goshawks (4a, 1u), 3 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (2a, 1j), 25 Rough-legged Hawks (22 light, 3 dark), 12 Golden Eagles (8a, 1sa, 1j, 2u) and 2 Merlins (1a female richardsonii and 1u male columbarius). This total includes 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk and 4 Golden Eagles (1a, 1sa, 2u) seen between 1218 and 1316 from the Waterton 68 wellsite. The highest hourly count was 17 between 1700 and 1800 that included 14 Rough-legged Hawks. Other birds recorded were 25 Canada Geese that flew very high to the ESE at 1734, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 3 Black-billed Magpies, 18 Common Ravens, 45 Bohemian Waxwings and 40 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10 hours (288.2) BAEA 2 (200), SSHA 3 (496), COHA 1 (80), NOGO 5 (53), BWHA 3 (17), RLHA 25 (346), GOEA 12 (2418), MERL 2 (17) TOTAL 53 (3848)

Tuesday, October 22 Steeples [Day 21] 1300-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 12C and conditions were calm with 80% altocumulus and cumulus cloud cover that brought rain showers between 1445 and 1600. After 1600 50% cumulus cloud allowed sunny skies and the wind became moderate W but these seemingly favourable conditions only produced one more migrant: an adult Golden Eagle at 1639. The count of 23 migrants of 3 species between 1149 and 1639 was 14 Bald Eagles (10a, 4j), 1a female Northern Harrier and 8 Golden Eagles (6a, 1j, 1u), with a high hourly count of 12 between 1400 and 1500. Single resident Golden Eagles (1a and 1j) were seen on three occasions that included an impressive sky-dancing display at 1450 and another of shorter duration over Mount Bill Nye at 1800. An adult non-migrant Bald Eagle glided to the north near the end of the day.

5 hours (95.25) BAEA 14 (145), NOHA 1 (11), GOEA 8 (172) TOTAL 23 (416)

Monday, October 21 Vicki Ridge [Day 29] 0830-1745 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson, assisted by Trevor Lewis observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen assisted by Peter Hodgkinson (1225-1700) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 0C, the high at 1200 and 1300 was 5C and it was 4C at the end of observation at 1745. Winds were W all day, 15-20 km/h to 0900 after which they were 20-40 gusting to 55 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was initially 70-100% thin cirrostratus and altostratus that quickly thickened to 100% uniform grey stratus and dark cumulus that gave gloomy conditions for the rest of the day. Raptor movement was slow and sporadic at both sites to 1600 after which it almost completely ceased. The count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 58 birds of 7 species between 0849 and 1734 that comprised 1a Bald Eagle, 10u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 4a Northern Goshawks, 1a light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 7 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 36 Golden Eagles (27a, 4sa, 2j, 3u), 1 unidentified eagle and 1u male Peregrine Falcon. At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge between 1335 and 1827 Gord and Peter counted 33 birds of 5 species between 1229 and 1557 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 3u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 1a Northern Goshawk, 13 light Rough-legged Hawks and 22 Golden Eagles (13a, 9j). The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0849 and 1734 was 91 migrants of 8 species that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1j), 10u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 5a Northern Goshawks, 1 light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 10 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 58 Golden Eagles (40a, 4sa, 11j, 3u) and 1u male Peregrine Falcon. The highest combined-site hourly count was 19 between 1400 and 1500. Other birds identified were 1 male Downy Woodpecker, 1 high-flying unidentified woodpecker, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 3 Black-billed Magpies, 14 Common Ravens, 2 male Mountain Bluebirds, 4 American Robins, 50 Bohemian Waxwings, 4 female Pine Grosbeaks and 470 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

9.25 hours (278.2) BAEA 4 (198), SSHA 10 (493), COHA 1 (79), NOGO 5 (48), BWHA 1 (14), RLHA 10 (321), GOEA 58 (2406), UE 1 (17), PEFA 1 (10) TOTAL 91 (3795)

Monday, October 21 Steeples (Vance Mattson). No observation because of teaching commitments.

Sunday, October 20 Vicki Ridge [Day 28] 0830-1845 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen (1330-1830) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 0C, the high was 5C at 1400 and 1500 and it was 1C at 1845. Winds were again WSW-W all day 10-15 km/h to 1000 then 30-40 gusting 50 km/h for the rest of the day. It was a mainly cloudy day with 60-100% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus cloud to 1600 that produced periodic light snow flurries and one heavier snowfall between 1540 and 1600 that obscured the ridges. After 1600 cover was 100-80% mainly cirrostratus except around 1700 when dark cumulus cloud rapidly moved from the west and brought another brief snow shower. The count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 103 birds of 9 species between 0845 and 1815 that comprised 10 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa, 3j), 12 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 9u), 6 Northern Goshawks (5a, 1u), 1a dark morph Broad-winged Hawk, 2a dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawks, 12 Rough-legged Hawks (10 light, 2 dark), 58 Golden Eagles (50a, 2sa, 6j), 1a male columbarius Merlin that spectacularly scattered a flying flock of 60 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches over Vicki Ridge at 1737, and 1a male Peregrine Falcon. At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge between 1335 and 1827 Gord counted 59 birds of 6 species that comprised 10 Bald Eagles (4a, 3sa, 3j), 4u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1u), 19 Rough-legged Hawks (15 light, 2 dark, 2u), 21 Golden Eagles (15a, 1sa, 2j, 3u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0845 and 1827 was 162 migrants of 10 species that comprised 20 Bald Eagles (10a, 4sa, 6j), 16 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 13u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 9 Northern Goshawks (7a, 2u), 1 dark morph Broad-winged Hawk, 2a dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawks,   31 Rough-legged Hawks (25 light, 4 dark, 2u), 79 Golden Eagles (65a, 3sa, 8j, 3u), 1a male columbarius Merlin and 1a male Peregrine Falcon. The highest combined-site hourly count was 33 between 1400 and 1500. Other birds identified were 4 Black-billed Magpies, 60 Common Ravens and 535 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10.25 hours (268.9) BAEA 20 (194), SSHA 16 (483), COHA 1 (78), NOGO 9 (43), BWHA 1 (13), RTHA 2 (130), RLHA 31 (311), GOEA 79 (2348), UE 1 (16), MERL 1 (15), PEFA 1 (9) TOTAL 162 (3704)

Sunday, October 20 Steeples [Day 20] 1200-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature rose to a high of 7C from 2C, winds were moderate S and then SE, and cloud cover was 60-100% altostratus and cumulus. There was a slow but steady eagle movement between 1304 and 1655 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (5a, 2j) and 14 Golden Eagles (11a, 1sa, 1j, 1u). The hourly counts after 1300 were 5, 4, 5 and 7, and movement was generally at low altitude despite the ridges being clear all day. Non-migrants were 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), 1a Sharp-shinned Hawk and 1a Golden Eagle.

5.5 hours (90.25) BAEA 7 (131), GOEA 15 (164) TOTAL 21 (393)

Saturday, October 19 Vicki Ridge [Day 27] 0830-1845 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen (1340-1825) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 2C, the high at 1500 and 1600 was 7C and it was 3C at 1845. Winds were steady WSW all day 10-20 km/h that increased to 20-30 km/h between 1400 and 1600, and cloud cover was 80-100% cumulus and dark stratocumulus that produced snow flurries to 1330, but the rest of the afternoon was 100% thin cirrostratus and altocumulus that gave hazy sunshine and excellent observing conditions. The count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 155 birds of 12 species between 0843 and 1825 that comprised 12 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa, 3j, 1 undifferentiated immature, 1u), 21 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 18u), 2 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1u), 4 Northern Goshawks (2a, 2j), 2 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 1j), 3a dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawks, 1 juvenile light morph Ferruginous Hawk, 49 Rough-legged Hawks (43 light, 1 dark, 5u), 58 Golden Eagles (46a, 6sa, 6j), 1 female dark grey morph Gyrfalcon, 1a male Peregrine Falcon and 1 female Prairie Falcon. At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge between 1342 and 1823 Gord counted 109 birds of 7 species that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1u), 8 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 7u), 3u Cooper’s Hawks, 1a Northern Goshawk, 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 25 Rough-legged Hawks (15 light, 2 dark, 8u) and 69 Golden Eagles (8a, 1sa, 7j, 52u). The high number of un-aged Golden Eagles resulted from birds moving well to the west of the ridge being silhouetted against bright hazy sunshine from the low-angle sun. The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0843 and 1825 was 264 migrants of 12 species that comprised 15 Bald Eagles (8a, 1sa, 3j, 1 undifferentiated immature, 2u), 29 Sharp-shinned Hawks (4a, 25u), 5 Northern Goshawks (3a, 2j), 2 light morph Broad-winged Hawks (1a, 1j), 4a Red-tailed Hawks (1 light calurus, 3 dark harlani), 1 juvenile light morph Ferruginous Hawk, 74 Rough-legged Hawks (58 light, 3 dark, 13u), 126 Golden Eagles (54a, 7sa, 13j, 52u), 1 female dark grey morph Gyrfalcon, 1a male Peregrine Falcon and 1 female Prairie Falcon. The highest combined-site hourly count was 63 between 1500 and 1600. Other birds identified were 28 Canada Geese that flew high to the ESE at 1340, 1a Northern Shrike, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 15 Common Ravens, 70 Bohemian Waxwings, 1 female Pine Grosbeak and 1170 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10.25 hours (258.7) BAEA 15 (174), SSHA 29 (467) COHA 5 (77), NOGO 5 (34), BWHA 2 (12), RTHA 4 (128), FEHA 1 (7), RLHA 74 (280), GOEA 126 (2269), GYRF 1 (4), PEFA 1 (8), PRFA 1 (3) TOTAL 264 (3542)

Saturday, October 19 Steeples [Day 19] 1300-1830 (Vance Mattson). It was an extremely pleasant day with a temperature of 10C, almost no wind and a cloud cover of 70-50% cumulus that was mainly concentrated around the ridges and, like yesterday, obscured the SW face of Mount Bill Nye on and off throughout the day. A total of 54 migrants of 5 species moved between 1440 and 1726 that comprised 23 Bald Eagles (16a, 1sa, 6j), 4 Northern Harriers (1a female, 3u juveniles), 3a Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1a Northern Goshawk and 23 Golden Eagles (16a, 1sa, 5j, 1u). The hourly counts were 15 (1400-1500), 9 (1500-1600), 22 (1600-1700) and 8 after 1700. There was extensive soaring and slow gliding flight throughout. Resident Golden Eagles were seen on three occasions, and included a brief display flight at 1425.

5.5 hours (84.75) BAEA 23 (124), NOHA 4 (10), SSHA 3 (38), NOGO 1 (3), GOEA 23 (150) TOTAL 54 (372)

Friday, October 18 Vicki Ridge [Day 26] 0830-1900 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen (1525-1845) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 3C which dropped to the day’s low of 2C at 0900; the high was 8C at 1400 and it was 3C at 1900. Winds were W-WSW all day, moderate to 1000 after which they were strong 40-50 gusting to 70 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 80-100% cumulus (that was dark to the west all day) and altostratus to 1640 when it thinned to 40% and produced the day’s only persistent sunshine, and was then 50-70% for the rest of the day. Very light snow swept from the west throughout the day that became heavier between 1530 and 1615 when snow squalls obscured Vicki Ridge for up to 10-minute periods. Despite the weather there was a steady raptor movement throughout the day and the count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 128 birds of 7 species between 0907 and 1819 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (5a, 1j, 1u), 10 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 9u), 2a Northern Goshawks, 20 Rough-legged Hawks (17 light, 3 dark), 84 Golden Eagles (73a, 4sa, 7j), 1 unidentified eagle, 2 columbariusMerlins (1 male, 1u) and 2a Peregrine Falcons (1 male, 1 female). At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge between 1529 and 1840 Gord counted 59 birds of 5 species that comprised 10 Bald Eagles (6a, 3sa, 1j), 4u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1a Northern Goshawk, 12 Rough-legged Hawks (11 light, 1 dark) and 32 Golden Eagles (13a, 2sa, 6j, 11u). The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0907 and 1840 was 187 migrants of 7 species that comprised 17 Bald Eagles (11a, 3sa, 2j, 1u), 14 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 13u), 3a Northern Goshawks, 32 Rough-legged Hawks (28 light, 4 dark), 116 Golden Eagles (86a, 6sa, 13j, 11u), 1 unidentified eagle, 2 columbarius Merlins (1 male, 1u) and 2a Peregrine Falcons (1 male, 1 female). The highest combined site hourly count was 40 between 1700 and 1800. Other birds identified were 25 Canada Geese that flew high to the SE at 1128, 1 Ruffed Grouse, 1a Northern Shrike, 4 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 46 Common Ravens, 20 Bohemian Waxwings, 1 female Pine Grosbeak and 630 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10.5 hours (248.4) BAEA 17 (159), SSHA 14 (438), NOGO 3 (29), RLHA 32 (206), GOEA 116 (2143), UE 1 (15), MERL 2 (14), PEFA 2 (7) TOTAL 187 (3278)

Friday, October 18 Steeples [Day 18] 1200-1830 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C, winds were moderate SW-S and cloud cover was 30-90% cumulus and altostratus. The SW face of Mount Bill Nye was obscured to 1540 after which the mountains were entirely clear. The raptor migration consisted entirely of 37 eagles that moved between 1315 and 1756 and comprised 13 Bald Eagles (9a, 4j), 22 Golden Eagles (15a, 2sa, 3j, 2u) and 2 unidentified eagles. Flight was more direct than usual although some soaring occurred, and the highest hourly counts were 9 (1400-1500) and 13 (1600-1700). Resident adult Golden Eagles were seen several times throughout the day that included a prolonged mutual display flight between 1425 and 1435 which included brief perching by each bird. Several aggressive passes were also made in the same area of the ridge, possibly at a third unseen perched eagle.

6.5 hours (79.25) BAEA 13 (101), GOEA 22 (127), UE 2 (6) TOTAL 37 (318)