Friday, March 22 Mount Lorette [Day 20] 0745-2020 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Eric Langshaw and Rosemary Power). The starting temperature was -5C, the high was 15C from 1600 to 1800 and was 7C at 2020. Ground winds were variable and light to 1400 after which they were NE 0-5 gusting 15-20 km/h becoming calm at the end of the day. Ridge winds could not be assessed but were probably mainly light, and cloud cover was cirrus all day, initially 10% that gradually increased to 70% at 1400 that persisted for the rest of the day. The 27^th anniversary of the start of the Mount Lorette count was celebrated by the first 100+ movement of the season with 109 eagles migrating between 1035 and 1925. The flight comprised 6 Bald Eagles, 101 Golden Eagles (58a, 1sa, 42u) and 2 unidentified eagles. Although the first Golden Eagle was seen to fly from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette, most of the movement between 1100 and 1500 was on the western route with most birds soaring very high over Olympic Summit before gliding to the NW. After 1500 movement was highly variable but between 1800 and 1900 43 Golden Eagles that included most of the day’s unaged birds, glided very high above the middle of the valley above the observers to Hummingbird Plume Hill where they soared high before moving to the NW over Skogan Pass. A pair of resident Northern Goshawks flew to the east and there were 2 other sightings of single birds, a resident adult Golden Eagle displayed above Olympic Summit near noon and 2 single non-migrant adult Bald Eagles flew to the south, one on the Fisher Range and the other on the Western route. A singing Varied Thrush was the first for the season and other birds in the area were 1 Canada Goose, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 3 Canada Jays, 8 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees,  2 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 2 Brown Creepers, 1 European Starling 1 Bohemian Waxwing, 1 Pine Siskin and 2 singing Dark-eyed Juncos. A single Mourning Cloak was the first butterfly seen this year. Most of the 11 visitors to the site today stayed for long periods and greatly assisted in locating high-flying eagles, but unfortunately all had departed before the evening golden-rush.

12.58 hours (212) BAEA 6 (35), GOEA 101 (339), UE 2 (3) TOTAL 109 (385)

Friday, March 22 Beaver Mines [Day 21] 0745-2000 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson; 0900-1030 Gord Petersen). The temperature at 0745 was -1.5C, the high at 1500 and 1600 was 12.5C and it was 6C at 2000. Winds were initially W 15 km/h but after 1000 switched to light (0-8 km/h) NE and E and before reverting to light W at 1900. Cloud cover was thin cirrostratus for most of the day ranging from 0-20% up the 70-80% that provided a welcome relief from the cloudless skies of recent days. It did not provide any raptor movement, however, as the only migrant seen was a light morph Rough-legged Hawk that soared over the middle of the valley and glided to the NNW at 1450. A non-migrant adult Bald Eagle perched by a small pool of meltwater on the floor of the valley at 1937 was the only other raptor seen. Other birds seen were 2 Canada Geese, 63 Wild Turkeys, 3 Rock Pigeons, 4 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 6 Blue Jays, 5 Black-billed Magpies, 12 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadee, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 3 American Robins, 8 European Starlings, 41 Evening Grosbeaks and 4 Pine Siskins. Two small Polygonia butterflies, that were probably Green Commas, were on the wing, and I forgot to note earlier that the first was seen here on March 20. The forecast for Saturday is for moderate to strong W winds so we are hoping that the week-long raptor drought will finally be broken.

12.25 hours (238) RLHA 1 (7) TOTAL 1 (184)

Friday, March 22 Steeples [Day 17] 1200-1900 (Vance Mattson). The weather was nearly identical to yesterday with a high temperature of 15C from a low of 6C at 1200, and calm and cloudless conditions. A season-high total of 44 migrants of 3 species was counted between 1259 and 1751 that comprised 23 Bald Eagles (16a, 2sa, 5j) the first 2 Red-tailed Hawks of the season (1 adult light morph calurus and 1 dark morph of unknown race or age), 18 Golden Eagles (15a, 2j, 1u) and 1 unidentified eagle. Only 3 birds were seen before 1400 but the next 2 hours each saw the passage of 16 migrants after which movement again became sporadic. Migration was again mainly slow and low with much soaring, and at 1428 a gliding adult Golden Eagle nearly collided with a soaring adult Bald Eagle causing each to quickly veer off to avoid impact. Resident birds were 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 2j) and 3 adult Golden Eagles with some agonistic behaviour seen between them. Two flocks of Canada Geese, one of 31 and the other of 35 moved north at 1526.

7 hours (81.75) BAEA 23 (124), RTHA 2 (2), GOEA 18 (150), UE 1 (3) TOTAL 44 (280)

Thursday, March 21 Mount Lorette [Day 19] 0800-2000 (Cliff Hansen, assisted by Rick Robb). It was another warm day with a temperature high of 15C from 1600 to 1800 from a morning low of -5C and it was 5C at 2000. It was calm to 1100 and subsequently ground winds were variable and light as probably were the ridge winds, and it was completely cloudless all day. Only 5 migrant raptors were seen between 1147 and 1902: 1 adult Bald Eagle that flew north from the end of the Fisher Range at 1902, 1 adult Northern Goshawk that flew low to the NW and 3 adult Golden Eagles 2 of which flew to the NW from Olympic Summit and the third that flapped north along the Fisher Range ridge and roosted for the night at 1901on a rock outcrop at the northern end of the range. A resident adult Northern Goshawk was seen hunting in the vicinity of the Lorette Canyon, 2 adult resident Golden Eagles were seen several times around Olympic Summit and a non-migrant adult Bald Eagle flew east from the Fisher Range. Other birds seen were 4 Canada Geese, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 2 Canada Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 5 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Brown Creeper, 2 European Starlings and 8 Bohemian Waxwings. Among the 25 visitors to the site today were a party of 16 from the Canmore Bird Association led by Caroline Lambert who were of great assistance in locating birds in the cloudless skies.

12 hours (199.4) BAEA 1 (29), NOGO 1 (3), GOEA 3 (238) TOTAL 5 (276)

Thursday, March 21 Beaver Mines [Day 20] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). It was slightly cooler today with a high temperature of 13C at 1500 from a low at 0730 of 0.5C, and it was 6.5C when observation ceased at 1930. The wind followed the same pattern as the last several days with W-WSW winds 10-15 km/h to 1030 and then E-NE winds for the rest of the day that were mainly light but gusted to 15 km/h from 1500 to 1700, after which it was calm for the rest of the day. It was cloudless to 1200 when very thin cirrostratus developed to the south which gradually moved to the north and reached 70% after 1900. The only migrant seen was an adult Bald Eagle that flew to the NW at 1804, and an unaged Golden Eagle seen in the same area at 1755 perched on a tree, was not seen again and was considered to be a non-migrant. Gord Petersen watched various ridges to the north and east between 1045 and 1650 including Burmis Hill near Lee Lake, Rock Creek Road, the area around Lundbreck and Cowley, the Snake Road on the western Flank of the Porcupine Hills, Highway 22 and finally the Livingstone Ridge at Frank. A total of 8 Bald Eagles were seen soaring and some appeared to be migrating to the NW, and a further 6 were perched or feeding, but the only Golden Eagle seen was a resident perched on a rock west of the Porcupine Hills that was later seen hunting. Surprisingly not a single Buteo was recorded and, significantly, only one Richardson’s Ground Squirrel was seen on the entire trip. Other birds at Beaver Mines were a total of 23 Canada Geese, 12 of which landed on a melt-water pool in the valley in the evening, 53 Wild Turkeys, 3 Rock Pigeons, 1 Wilson’s Snipe that called at 1115 and was not heard again, 4 Downy Woodpeckers, 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 12 Blue Jays, 8 Black-billed Magpies, 9 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 14 European Starlings, 32 Evening Grosbeaks and 7 Pine Siskins.

12 hours (225.8) BAEA 1 (66) TOTAL 1 (183)

Thursday, March 21 Steeples [Day 16] 1300-1900 (Vance Mattson). Weather information was not provided, but conditions were probably similar to those of the last several days. A total of 36 migrants were seen up to 1803 when the first non-eagle migrant of the year, an adult female Northern Harrier, moved to the north. Other migrants were 22 Bald Eagles (11a, 2sa, 9j) and 13 Golden Eagles (10a, 2j, 1u). Only 8 eagles were seen before 1600 but 19 migrated between 1600 and 1700. Consistent with the last few days movement was generally low and slow with extended soaring by some of the birds, especially as the day progressed. Non-migrant raptors were 3 adult Bald eagles and 1 adult Golden Eagles. Two probable Trumpeter Swans were seen on small open patches of water on the still mainly frozen Wasa Slough on the way to the site.

6 hours (74.75) BAEA 22 (101), NOHA 1 (1), GOEA 13 (132) TOTAL 36 (236)

Wednesday, March 20 Mount Lorette [Day 18] 0755-1945 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Glen Webber, Rosemary Power and Eric Langshaw). The temperature reached a season-high 17C at 1700 from a starting low of -7C and it was 5C at the end of observation. Ground winds were variable and light to 1700 after which they were SW 0-5 gusting 10 km/h and 20 km/h after 1800; ridge winds were probably light to moderate SW after 1700. It was completely cloudless all day. A total of 45 migrant raptors of 4 species was counted between 1050 and 1859 comprising 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 juvenile Northern Goshawk, the first Red-tailed Hawk of the season which appeared to be an intermediate morph of uncertain age of the race calurus, 41 Golden Eagles (40a, 1u) and 1 indeterminate eagle. Apart from the first Golden Eagle that flew from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette at 1050, all 35 birds up to 1600 migrated on the western route where most soared very high on the southern flank of Mount Allan with many simply disappearing into the clear blue sky. No migrants were seen between 1600 and 1800, but after 1800 the Red-tailed Hawk and 8 Golden Eagles glided high from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette. Resident birds were single adult Northern Goshawks seen on three occasions near the site and an adult Golden Eagle that flew south from Hummingbird Hill. The highlight of the non-raptor count was the season’s first occurrence of 2 Violet-green Swallows that appeared perfectly comfortable in the first-day-of-spring weather, but were the earliest seen at the site by 5 days. A Lapland Longspur heard in the Hay Meadow was also a first for the year. Other birds seen were 3 Canada Geese, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Canada Jays, 8 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Brown Creeper and 1 male Red-winged Blackbird. No finches were recorded today. Around 0800 a Grey Wolf howled east of the river, and later in the day and American Marten strolled along the path from the south to the site. Nine human visitors also made it to the site today.

12 hours (187.4) BAEA 1 (28), NOGO 1 (2), RTHA 1 (1), GOEA 41 (235) UE 1 (1) TOTAL 45 (271)

Wednesday, March 20 Beaver Mines [Day 19] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0730 was 2C and reached a season-high 16C at 1600 and 1700 and was still 10C at 1930. Winds were W-WSW 5-15 km/h to 0930 and were then calm or very light (<5 km/h) and mainly from the NE for the rest of the day, and the sky was completely cloudless all day. Clouds were not the only thing lacking in the sky as 12 hours of observation yielded not one migrant or resident raptor! Gord Petersen spent from 1350 to 1650 in the Table Mountain-Carbondale Ridge area where a few eagles were seen soaring high or perched on Table Mountain, but the only birds that appeared to be definite migrants were 2 subadult Golden Eagles that soared high over the southern peak of Table Mountain at 1603 and glided high to the NW. An unidentified eagle high over the Continental Divide to the west at 1524 may also have been a migrant. A reconnaissance in the Beauvais Lake area between 1620 and 1650 yielded no raptors at all. There may therefore have been a small but insignificant migration to the west of the site, so it is possible that the birds seen at Lorette are in fact moving north to the east of the Beaver Mines site over the low foothills and high plains. A photograph taken today and sent to me by Bob Costa of 19 Bald Eagles perched in Cottonwoods on Highway 22 east of the Livingstone Range seem to support this conjecture, and Gord plans to do a reconnaissance survey to the east tomorrow. We shall probably continue to stare into a beautiful blue void as the weather forecast is for more of the same. Other birds noted were 45 Wild Turkeys on a grassy hill to the NE with males in full display mode, 7 Rock Pigeons, 4 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 5 Blue Jays, 2 Black-billed Magpie, 13 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 American Robin, 7 European Starlings, 41 Evening Grosbeaks and 4 Pine Siskins.

12 hours (213.8) TOTAL 0 (182)

Wednesday, March 20 Steeples [Day 15] 1630-1900 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 13C, it was calm and cloudless skies gave sunny conditions. Because of teaching commitments Vance couldn’t get to the site until 1630 but saw 15 migrants, including a kettle of 6 birds, by 1700. A further 5 birds moved between 1700 and 1743 giving a final count of 8 Bald Eagles (5a, 1sa, 2j) and 12 Golden Eagles (11a, 1j). Many other birds must have moved earlier. Non-migrants were 2 Golden Eagles (1a, 1j) and 1 subadult Bald Eagle.

2.5 hours (68.75) BAEA 8 (79), GOEA 12 (119) TOTAL 20 (200)

Tuesday, March 19 Mount Lorette [Day 17] 0755-1945 (Blake Weis, assisted by Katherine Peterson). The temperature at 0800 was -7C, but reached a season-high 15C at 1700 and 1800 and was still 7C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW all day, 0-5 km/h that gusting to 10 km/h between 1200 and 1800, while ridge winds were light SW to 1200 and light to moderate in the afternoon. There was cirrus cloud cover all day, 40% to 1000 that diminished to 10% at 1000 before gradually increasing to 80% at 1500 and again diminishing to 20% at the end of the day. A season-high total of 60 migrants were counted between 1020 and 1802 that comprised a season-high 8 Bald Eagles (6a, 2sa), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, a season-high 49 Golden Eagles (40a, 9u), the first Prairie Falcon of the season and 1 unidentified distant raptor that was probably either a Northern Goshawk or a Gyrfalcon. The first Golden Eagle was not seen until after 1300 but movement was then steady and peaked at 15 birds between 1500 and 1600. Up to 1700 migration was mainly on the western route with birds moving from the southern flank of Mount Allan to Hummingbird Plume Hill and then to the NW over Skogan Pass, but after 1700 birds moved from the northern end of the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette with much extended soaring and flapping in the light winds. A single resident adult Golden Eagle soared on the north ridge of Mount Lorette at 0925. There were no new spring arrivals, probably because the Hay Meadow is still completely snow covered, but other birds seen were 2 Pileated Woodpeckers, one of which flew very high to the north from the south flank of Mount Allan, 2 Canada Jays, 10 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 5 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 7 Common Redpolls, 4 White-winged Crossbills and 1 Pine Siskin. There were 5 visitors at the site today.

11.83 hours (175.4) BAEA 8 (27), RLHA 1 (2), GOEA 49 (194), PRFA 1 (1), UU 1(1) TOTAL 60 (226)

Tuesday, March 19 Beaver Mines [Day 18] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0730 was 1C that reached a season-high 15C at 1500 and 1600, and was still 10C at 1930. Winds were WSW 15-20 km/h to 1030 when again they diminished to 0-5 km/h, mainly NE for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 10% altostratus to 0830 and it was then cloudless all day with occasional ephemeral traces of altocumulus occasionally developing. The delightful weather again produced almost no migrants, however, with only 3 seen today: 1 adult Golden Eagle at 1352, 1 adult Bald Eagle at 1544 and 1 subadult Bald Eagle at 1659. The highlight of the day was our first American Robin at 0831 and other birds seen were 1 Canada Goose, 16 Wild turkeys, 1 Rock Pigeon, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker, 7 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 5 American Crows, 35 Common Ravens, 25 of which flew high to the SW between 1900 and 1921, 20 European Starlings, 10 Evening Grosbeaks and 7 Pine Siskins.

12 hours (201.8) BAEA 2 (65), GOEA 1 (104) TOTAL 3 (182)

Tuesday, March 19 Steeples [Day 14] 1300-1900 (Vance Mattson). The weather was again warm with a temperature of 12C, calm conditions and cloudless skies that produced a season-high count of 42 eagles comprising a season-high total of 25 Bald Eagles (14a, 3sa, 8j) and 17 Golden Eagles (12a, 1sa, 3j). Movement was steady throughout the observation period with a maximum hourly count of 14 between 1500 and 1600. The resident Golden Eagle family was seen together with one adult bird displaying vigorously for the first time this year. The juvenile was seen on 3 occasions, once soaring at length with an adult, and again perched at length between 1540 and 1747. Two non-migrant adult Bald Eagles soared together before gliding south along the ridge.

6 hours (66.25) BAEA 25 (71), GOEA 17 (107) TOTAL 42 (180)

Monday, March 18 Mount Lorette [Day 16] 0750-1950 (Blake Weis, assisted by Dan Parliament). The starting temperature was -9C, but rose to a season-high 12C at 1700 and 1800 and was still 10C at 1950. Ground winds were SW 0-5 km/h all day and ridge winds were SW, light in the morning and light to moderate in the afternoon. It was completely cloudless to 1400 after which there was 10-30% cirrus for the rest of the day. For the third successive day the count was 37 birds, that moved between 1302 and 1916 and comprised 3 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult Northern Goshawk (the first migrant of the season) and 33 Golden Eagles (32a, 1j). The highest hourly count was 14 (1 Bald and 13 Golden Eagles) between 1600 and 1700. With the exception of 1 Golden Eagle that moved on the western route and 1 Bald Eagle that went north from the end of the Fisher Range, all birds moved from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette at variable heights and generally after much soaring. Resident adult Golden Eagles were seen at Mount Lorette and over Hummingbird Plume Hill, and 2 resident adult Northern Goshawks flew low over the site towards the north at 0849. A non-migrant adult Bald Eagle also flew south from Hummingbird Plume Hill. No new spring arrivals were noted and other birds seen were 5 Canada Jays, 12 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 6 Mountain Chickadees, 3 Boreal Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 2 singing Brown Creepers, 1 American Dipper, 1 European Starling, 13 Bohemian Waxwings, 4 Common Redpolls, 1 White-winged Crossbill, 1 Pine Siskin and 1 Dark-eyed Junco. There were 15 visitors at the site today.

12 hours (163.6) BAEA 3 (19), NOGO 1 (1), GOEA 33 (145) TOTAL 37 (166)

Monday, March 18 Beaver Mines [Day 17] 0730-1930 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson; Gord Petersen 1400-1730). The temperature also reached a season high of 12C at 1500 and 1600 from a starting low of -1C and was 4C at 1930. Winds were WSW 15-20 km/h in the morning, but in the afternoon they were NE 0-5 km/h or calm. There was 30-70% altostratus and cirrus cloud cover to 1100 after which the sky was completely cloudless. The conditions produced another meagre raptor count of just 4 birds between 1205 and 1752 comprising 1 juvenile Bald Eagle, 1u Northern Goshawk, the first Red-tailed Hawk of the season at 1618 that was a dark morph bird of undetermined race and age, and 1 subadult Golden Eagle. The resident pair of Golden Eagles soared above the ridge at 1155 and glided high to the SE, and a non-migrant adult Bald Eagle was seen soaring low at 1630 and then was seen perched on the ridge between 1747 and 1755. Between 1400 and 1730 Hilary and I left the site observed progressively to the west to see if birds were moving on other ridges but 3.5 hours spent at Vicki Ridge, Kyllo Ridge, Carbondale Ridge, Barnaby Ridge and Table Mountain produced not a single migrant raptor. In all cases winds were light and the sky cloudless. No new spring arrivals were noted and other birds seen at the Beaver Mines site were a flock of 40 Wild Turkeys, 4 Rock Pigeons, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 male Northern [Red-shafted] Flicker, 1 Steller’s Jay, 5 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 19 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 8 European Starlings, 6 Evening Grosbeaks, 1 Common Redpoll, 3 Pine Siskins and 1 Dark-eyed [montanus] Junco.

12 hours (189.8) BAEA 1 (63), NOGO 1 (3), RTHA 1 (1), GOEA 1 (103) TOTAL 4 (179)

Monday, March 18 Steeples [Day 13] 1630-1900 (Vance Mattson). Weather conditions west of the Rockies were also similar with a temperature of 12C, calm conditions and cloudless sunny skies that produced a movement of 13 migrant raptors, 5 Bald Eagles (4a, 1j) and 8 adult Golden Eagles between 1630 and 1809. During the first 5 minutes at the site 2 adult Bald Eagles and 2 adult Golden Eagles moved north, and 8 eagles were seen between 1700 and 1800. The resident Golden Eagles were again conspicuous, especially the juvenile that again perched on its favoured rocky outcrop from 1732 to the end of observation at 1900. Four non-migrant Bald Eagles (3a, 1j) were also seen that included a pair-flight low over the south flank of Mount Bill Nye.

2.5 hours (60.25) BAEA 5 (46), GOEA 8 (90) TOTAL 13 (138)