Thursday, October 04 Mount Lorette [Day 13] 0745-1930 (Rick Robb and Cliff Hansen). The initial temperature was -5C, the high at 1600 and 1700 was 3C and it was 0C at the end of observation. Ground winds were light (<5 km/h) and variable all day, and ridge winds appeared to be light W. Cloud cover was 60% altocumulus and cirrus that became cumulus and cirrus at 1400 and reduced to 20% after 1500. The ridges were clear all day. There was a fairly strong raptor movement of 125 migrants of 5 species between 1125 and 1923 that included the highest Golden Eagle count of the season. The count was 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (5a, 2u), the first Swainson’s Hawk of the season, a light morph adult, 1 adult rufous morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, and 114 Golden Eagles (15a, 2sa, 63j, 34u). Golden Eagle movement was increasingly strong from mid-afternoon with hourly counts of 21 (15-1600), 18 (16-1700), 25 (17-1800), 32 (18-1900) and 12 (19-1923). Only a few Golden Eagles were located over Mount Lorette and they appeared originate from Heart Mountain farther to the north, from where they crossed Wasootch Creek and flapped low to the SE in front of the Fisher Range, although there was some soaring flight between 1400 and 1700. Other birds seen were 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 4 Common Ravens, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 1 Swainson’s Thrush, 1 Varied Thrush, 2 American Robins, 2 American Pipits, 1 Song Sparrow and 6 White-winged Crossbills. Many of the birds were seen feeding at the river’s edge on newly emerged stoneflies. Looking distinctly out of place in the snowy landscape was a single Mourning Cloak butterfly on the wing. There were 5 visitors to the site today.

11.75 (125.5) BAEA 2 (14), SSHA 7 (39), SWHA 1 (1), RTHA 1 (12), GOEA 114 (395) TOTAL 125 (513)

Thursday, October 04 Vicki Ridge [Day 10] 0930-1745 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson observing from the Lynx Creek road). The starting temperature was -5C, the high was 1C at 1600 and it was -2C at 1745. Winds were light all day, WSW to 1030 and subsequently E 4-10 km/h. Cloud cover was 100% stratus that became 100% altostratus, cirrostratus, altocumulus and cumulus after 1500 that produced hazy sunshine all day. There was another fairly strong and varied raptor migration with 107 birds of 12 species moving between 1044 and 1733. The flight comprised 2 Ospreys, 4 Bald Eagles (2sa, 2j), 1 adult male Northern Harrier, 61 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 60u), 10u Cooper’s Hawks, 3 Northern Goshawks (1a, 2u), 3 small unidentified Accipiters, 3 Red-tailed Hawks (2 calurus: 1u light, 1 dark adult, and 1 adult dark harlani), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 12 Golden Eagles (9a, 3j), 1u American Kestrel, 2 columbarius Merlins (1 female, 1u), 1u Peregrine Falcon, 1 large unidentified falcon and 1 small unidentified raptor. Fifty of the birds moved between 1300 and 1500.

8.25 hours (89) OSPR 2 (8), BAEA 4 (26), NOHA 1 (12), SSHA 61 (389), COHA 10 (54), NOGO 3 (21), UA 3, RTHA 3 (78), RLHA 1 (16), UB 1 (4), GOEA 12 (251), AMKE 1 (11), MERL 2 (14), PEFA 1 (6), UF 1 (2), UU 1 (2) TOTAL 107 (919)

Thursday, October 04 Steeples [Day 12] 1300-1900 (Vance Mattson). The entire valley was enshrouded in low cloud which began to clear at 1300 but the mountains remained enveloped so Vance conducted the count from the balcony of his house in Wasa. The temperature was 6C, winds were calm or light W and cloud cover was 100-70% altocumulus, cumulus and altostratus; the mountains remained 90-100% obscured throughout. A season high total of 66 raptors of 10 species migrated between 1332 and 1812 comprising 2 Ospreys, 11 Bald Eagles (5a, 5j), 2 Northern Harriers (1 adult female, 1 juvenile), 11 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 1j, 7u), 2 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1j), a season-high 28 Red-tailed Hawks (24 calurus: 20a (19 light, 1 dark), 1 light juvenile, 1 rufous juvenile and 2 unaged; 1j dark morph harlani and 3 birds of unknown race, morph or age), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 6 Golden Eagles (3a, 3j) 1 unidentified eagle, 1 female American Kestrel and 1u columbarius Merlin. About 90% of the birds moved over or just east of Wasa Lake and the highest hourly counts were 17 from 1600 to1700 and again from 1700-1800. There was also a strong movement of 147 American Crows including flocks of 28 and 40 birds, and 5 California Gulls also moved to the south.

6 hours (47) OSPR 2 (2), BAEA 11 (27), NOHA 2 (6), SSHA 11 (34), COHA 2 (4), RTHA 28 (64), RLHA 1 (1), GOEA 6 (20), UE 1 (1), AMKE 1 (3), MERL 1 (1) TOTAL 66 (168)

Wednesday, October 03 Mount Lorette [Day 12] 1045-1915 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Heinz Unger). Because of the poor state of the roads the observers did not arrive at the site until 1045, where they found 40 cm of fresh snow. The temperature was -7C but reached a high at 1500-1800 of 1C and was 0C at the end of observation. Ground winds were 0-5 km/h all day with the exception of 1500 when they were briefly S-SW gusting to 15 km/h, and ridge winds were S-SW light to moderate all day. Initial cloud cover was 10% cumulus that gradually increased throughout the day and reached 90% cumulus and cirrostratus at 1700. The Fisher Range was clear all day but Mount Lorette and Mount McGillivray were periodically shrouded in cloud for 20% of the day; the west was 80% obscured at the start and gradually cleared to 20% by the end of observation. The only migrant raptors seen were 8 Golden Eagles (4a, 2j, 2u) that moved between 1348 and 1825 with 4 moving between 1700 and 1800. One juvenile was seen to the west and the rest migrated high above the Fisher Range. Because of the thick snow cover most of the other birds species were seen along the river, the most unusual being a late-migrating Sora. Other birds were 1 Wilson’s Snipe, 1 Barred Owl heard at the end of the day, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Northern Shrike, 5 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 3 Hermit Thrushes, 8 Varied Thrushes, 4 American Robins, 2 White-winged Crossbills, 2 Pine Siskins, 1 Song Sparrow, 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows, 1 Savannah Sparrow, 1 Palm Warbler and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler. Two visitors made it to the site today.

8.5 hours (113.7) GOEA 8 (281) TOTAL 8 (388)

Wednesday, October 03 Vicki Ridge [Day 9] 0815-1745 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The heavy snow stopped overnight and I measured 54 cm of fresh snow at my house in Beaver Mines. Access to the usual observation sites at the southern end of Vicki Ridge was impossible so we watched from Township Road 6-5, the road to Lynx Creek and Carbondale, about 3 km west of Highway 507 where we could observe birds flying from the north to the southern end of Vicki Ridge. The location is about 4 km due north of the regular viewing sites on the ridge. Fortunately one vehicle had been along the road ahead of us, and much digging was required to get our car safely parked at the edge of the road. The starting temperature was -13C but under the influence of light W winds it rose to -6C by 0900. At noon the west winds ceased and light E winds prevailed for the rest of the day, although the W winds continued at ridge level. The temperature high was -1 C at 1600 and it was -2C at the end of observation. It was cloudless until 1200 when cumulus cloud began to form which gradually increased throughout the afternoon to 80-90% cumulus and cirrostratus by the end of the day that provided excellent viewing conditions. A total of 86 migrant raptors of 8 species were seen between 1005 and 1734 comprising 1 Osprey, 3 Bald Eagles (1sa, 2j), 39 Sharp-shinned Hawks (7a, 32u), 7 Cooper’s Hawk (1a, 6u), 1u Northern Goshawk, 21 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus 15: 10 light (8a, 2j), 4a dark; harlani 4a dark, and 2u dark morph birds of unknown race or age), 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 2 unidentified Buteos (1 light, 1 dark) and 10 Golden Eagles (3a, 2sa, 5j).

9.5 hours (80.75) OSPR 1 (6), BAEA 3 (22), SSHA 39 (328), COHA 7 (44), NOGO 1 (11), RTHA 21 (75), RLHA 2 (15), UB 2 (3), GOEA 10 (239) TOTAL 86 (812)

Wednesday, October 03 Steeples [Day 11] 1545-1745 (Vance Mattson). There was fresh snow on the ground, the temperature was 6C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 100% stratus and low cumulus that partially obscured the ridges and stretched across the valley to the west. Only one migrant was seen, a female American Kestrel that flapped south at 1639.

2 hours (41) AMKE 1 (2) TOTAL 1 (102)

Monday, October 01 Mount Lorette [Day 10] 0700-1130 (George Halmazna, assisted by Dan Parliament). The temperature was -4C to -3C, wind was NW to 0800, then N 5-10 km/h and cloud cover was 100% low stratus that obscured all ridges. Visibility was good in the valley, however, until the snow, that started falling at 0900, became heavy after 1100 and brought the day to a close without any raptors having been seen. Other birds in the area were 1 American Three-toed Woodpecker, 5 Common Ravens, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Varied Thrush, 12 American Robins, 27 White-crowned Sparrows, 8 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 29 Pine Siskins. A Grey Wolf howled from the E at 0818 and again from the NE at 0859.

4.5 hours (105.2) TOTAL 0 (380)

Monday, October 01 Vicki Ridge [Day 8] 0845-1600 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). The temperature at 0845 was 4C, reached a high of 9C at 1300 was still 7C at 1500 but rapidly fell to 1C at the end of observation. Winds were W 20-30 gusting 40 km/h to 1330 after which they reduced to 10-20 km/h and at 1520 the wind switched to E 30 km/h bringing fog that by 1600 had completely obscured the ridges. Cloud cover was 70% cumulus to 1000 and then 100% stratocumulus for the rest of the day. Migration conditions were favourable for much of the day and a total of 92 migrants of 10 species were counted between 0859 and 1534 comprising 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), 25 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 2j, 21u), 3 Cooper’s Hawks (2a, 1u), 4 Northern Goshawks (3a males, 1u), 1u light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 3 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 1 adult dark morph Ferruginous Hawk, 3 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 2 dark), 48 Golden Eagles (23a, 10sa, 15j) and 2u American Kestrels. Fifty migrants, including 33 Golden Eagles, were counted before 1100, but movement then slowed and only 11 birds were seen after 1400 and only 5 Golden Eagles were seen after 1300. Songbirds were conspicuous all day and included 43 Mountain Bluebirds, 2 Townsend’s Solitaires, 411 American Robins, 25 Red Crossbills, 150 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 158 Pine Siskins. Migrating Accipiters often paused for a while to avail themselves of the easy pickings.

7.25 hours (71.25) BAEA 2 (19), SSHA 25 (289), COHA 3 (37), NOGO 4 (17), BWHA 1 (14), RTHA 3 (54), FEHA 1 (3), RLHA 3 (13), GOEA 48 (229), AMKE 2 (10) TOTAL 92 (726)

Monday, October 01 Steeples. NO OBSERVATION. The mountains were again hidden by stratus cloud all day, and although not as low as yesterday the chances of finding migrating raptors were unpromising.

Tuesday, October 02 Mount Lorette [NO OBSERVATION]. Heavy snow all day: all mountains obscured.

Tuesday, October 02 Vicki Ridge [NO OBSERVATION]. Heavy snow all day; ridge completely obscured.

Tuesday, October 02 Steeples [NO OBSERVATION]. Steady rain all day: all mountains obscured.

Sunday, September 30 Mount Lorette [Day 9] 0650-1935 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson). The starting temperature was -2C, the high was 1C at 1500-1700 and it was 0C at the end of observation. Ground winds were NNW-NNE all day, 2-5 km/h to 1000 and 2-15 gusting 20 km/h thereafter, while ridge winds were SW, light to 0800 then moderate to strong for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100% stratus to 1200 and 100% altostratus and stratus throughout the afternoon. The eastern ridges were 60-80% obscured to 0900 that gradually reduced to 0% at 1300 and was subsequently clear; the west was 90% obscured to 1200, reduced to 10% at 1600 and 1700, but then increased to 60% at the end of the day. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground on arrival, but there was no precipitation during the day. There was a moderate raptor movement with 45 birds of 6 species seen between 1007 and 1705 of which 41 migrated before 1600. The count was 4 Bald Eagles (1a, 3j), 10 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2j, 7u), 9 Northern Goshawks (1a, 8u), 1 unidentified Accipiter, 2 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (1a, 1u), 4 Rough-legged Hawks (3 light, 1u) and 15 Golden Eagles (6a, 6j, 3u). All but one of the Golden Eagles migrated on the eastern route, and the rest moved on a broad front encompassing the whole valley. Other birds of note were 405 Canada Geese flying south in 10 flocks, 15 migrating Common Loons, 1 Wilson’s Snipe, 21 American Pipits, 3 Lapland Longspurs, 30 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers. There were 10 visitors today.

12.75 hours (100.7) BAEA 4 (12), SSHA 10 (32), NOGO 9 (14), UA 1 (2), RTHA 2 (11), RLHA 4 (7), GOEA 15 (273) TOTAL 45 (380)

September summary (variance from 1993-2017 valid counts (20) in parenthesis) DAYS 10 (-7%), HOURS 100.7 (-15.7%), TUVU 0, OSPR 3 (+42.9%), BAEA 12 (-35.7%), NOHA 6 (+25%), SSHA 32 (-43.4), COHA 4 (-64.4%), NOGO 14 (+80.6%), BWHA 1 (-54.5%), SWHA 0, RTHA 11 (-38.7%), FEHA 0, RLHA 7 (+278.4%), GOEA 273 (-24.9%), AMKE 0, MERL 1 (-64.9%), GYRF 0, PEFA 0, PRFA 3 (+445.5%), UA 2 (-37.5%), UB 3 (+185.7%), UE 7 (+1300%), UF 1 (+400%), UU 0 TOTAL 380 (-24.1%)

Sunday, September 30 Vicki Ridge. NO OBSERVATION. The temperature was -4C to -3C, winds were light E-ENE, and cloud cover was 100% low stratus that completely covered the ridge all day. There was 9 cm of fresh snow on the ground early in the morning and another 2 cm fell during the day. A general survey on the plains west of the ridge in the afternoon counted 27 raptors of 9 species that were either hunting or perched in the miserable weather. The count was 2 Bald Eagles, 3 Northern Harriers, 4 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 10 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 1 Golden Eagle, 3 American Kestrels 2 Merlins and the first Gyrfalcon of the winter, an adult male grey morph bird.

September summary (last year’s count in parenthesis) DAYS 7 (11), HOURS 64 (90.8), TUVU 0 (0), OSPR 5 (7), BAEA 17 (11), NOHA 11 (9), SSHA 264 (368), COHA 34 (48), NOGO 13 (33), BWHA 13 (14), SWHA 2 (1), RTHA 51 (70), FEHA 2 (4), RLHA 10 (1), GOEA 181 (112), AMKE 8 (16), MERL 12 (11), GYRF 0 (1), PEFA 5 (7), PRFA 2 (0), UA 0 (1), UB 1 (2), UE 1 (0), UF 1 (0), UU 1 (0) TOTAL 634 (716)

Sunday, September 30 Steeples. NO OBSERVATION. The mountains were hidden by low stratus cloud all day.

September summary DAYS 10, HOURS 39, TUVU 1, OSPR 0, BAEA 16, NOHA 4, SSHA 23, COHA 2, NOGO 0, BWHA 3, SWHA 0, RTHA 36, FEHA 0, RLHA 0, GOEA 14, AMKE 1, MERL 0, GYRF 0, PEFA 1, PRFA 0, UA 0, UB 0, UE 0, UF 0, UU 0 TOTAL 101

Thursday, September 27 Mount Lorette 0800-1515 (Rick Robb and Cliff Hansen). NO OBSERVATION. Rain, snow, fog and low cloud that obscured the mountains all day

Thursday, September 27 Vicki Ridge NO OBSERVATION. Steady rain and low cloud/fog all day that completely obscured the ridge. The temperature was 2-4C and winds were light E-NE.

Wednesday, September 27 Steeples [Day 8] 1430-1800 The temperature was 17C at 1430 but dropped to 10C by 1800. Winds were moderate NW but a shift to N resulted in the rapid drop in temperature. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus and cumulus and rain fell for most of the observation period. Only 6 migrant birds of 3 species were seen between 1447 and 1643: 2 Northern Harriers (1a female, 1u), 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks and 2 Golden Eagles (1a, 1j). Two Bald Eagles (1a, 1j) were considered to be non-migrants.

3.5 hours (29.5) NOHA 2 (3), SSHA 2 (21), GOEA 2 (11) TOTAL 6 (82)

Friday, September 28 Mount Lorette [Day 8] 0640-1915 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Heinz Unger). The initial temperature was 0C, the high was 4C from 1300 to 1800 and it was 3C at 1915. Ground winds were W-WSW 0-5 km/h to 1000 and then NNE-N 5-15 km/h for the rest of the day. Ridge winds were probably N light to moderate but they were difficult to assess because of the dense cloud cover that was 100% stratus to 1000 and 100-90% altostratus and cumulus for the rest of the day. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground at the start of observation but there was no further precipitation. The eastern ridges were 100% obscured to 0800, 10-30% obscured to 1400 and 60-80% obscured for the rest of the day. The west was 90-100% obscured all day except for 0800-0900 when it briefly cleared to 40-60%. Despite these inauspicious conditions there was a fairly strong raptor movement of 42 birds of 7 species that were recorded between 1004 and 1650 and comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 4 Northern Harriers (2 juveniles and 2 undifferentiated adult females or juveniles), 10 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 1j, 8u), 2u Cooper’s Hawks, 2 Northern Goshawks (1 a, 1u) 3 Rough-legged Hawks (2 light, 1 dark), 18 Golden Eagles (7a, 2sa, 6j, 3u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The Bald Eagles flew south on the western route, but the rest of the movement was on the eastern route or above the centre of the valley. The busiest hour was 10 migrants between 1600 and 1700. Other migrating species moving high to the south were 60 Canada Geese, 5 unidentified swans, 2 Common Loons and 17 unidentified white-headed gulls. Twenty-two visitors were at the site today.

10.58 hours (79.7) BAEA 2 (8), NOHA 4 (6), SSHA 10 (20), COHA 2 (4), NOGO 2 (3), RLHA 3 (3), GOEA 18 (254), UE 1 (7) TOTAL 42 (322)

Friday, September 28 Vicki Ridge [Day 7] 1400-1700 (Peter Sherrington, observing from the Seven Gates Road and the ridgetop from 1530 to 1700). Rain and low cloud shrouded the ridge to 1400 when the rain stopped and the cloud began to lift. At 1530 the ridge cleared where the temperature was 3C, the wind was E 10 km/h and cloud cover was 100% stratus. At 1700 the cloud again descended. The only raptors seen were an unaged Cooper’s Hawk that flew low to the south to the east of the ridge at 1416 and an adult female columbarius Merlin that flew low from the ridge to the WSW at 1612. Other birds in the area included 40 Mountain Bluebirds, 300 American Robins, 20 Bohemian Waxwings (the first of the season), 2 Red Crossbills and 15 Pine Siskins.

3 hours (64) COHA 1 (34), MERL 1 (12) TOTAL 2 (634)

Friday, September 28 Steeples [Day 9] 1330-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C, winds were NW moderate that became calm after 1600 and cloud cover was 70% cumulus that fell to 50% cumulus and altostratus at 1600 and became 100% at 1800. A total of 12 migrants of 4 species were seen that comprised a season-high 7 Bald Eagles (5a, 2j), 1a dark morph Broad-winged Hawk, 1a rufous morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 3 Golden Eagles (2a, 1j). Two Bald Eagles and 3 Golden Eagles moved between 1645 and 1715 including single adults of both species that soared together for a protracted period.

4.5 hours (34) BAEA 7 (13), BWHA 1 (3), RTHA 1 (35), GOEA 3 (14) TOTAL 12 (94)

Saturday, September 29 Mount Lorette [Day 9] 0800-1020 Hay Meadow; 1200-1800 Lusk Creek) (Blake Weis). The temperature at Hay Meadow was -1C and was 2C at Lusk Creek in the afternoon. Winds were N-NE all day, 0-5 km/h to 1000, 5-10 gusting 16 km/h from 1200-1600 and then 0-5 km/h again for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100% all day: stratocumulus at Hay Meadow and altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus at Lusk Creek. Moderate snow fell to 0900 which then became heavy, and light snow or flurries occurred at Lusk Creek. No migrants were seen in the morning but 13 raptors of 6 species were counted moving steadily along the highest foothills ridge at Lusk Creek between 1230 and 1620. The count was 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2u Northern Goshawks, 1 adult light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 3u Red-tailed Hawks (1 light, 2 of undetermined race, morph or age), 4 Golden Eagles (1a, 1sa, 2u) and 1 Prairie Falcon. Non-migrants were 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks that were seen hunting north of the site and 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk that perched close to the site. Non-raptor migrants were 25 white-headed gulls and 200 American Robins at Lusk Creek, and 44 Canada Geese at Hay Meadow. Other birds seen around the Hay Meadow included 1 Ruffed Grouse, 6 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 1 Varied Thrush, 11 American Pipits, 1 White-winged Crossbill, 25 Pine Siskins, 3 American Tree Sparrows (the first of the season), 5 Dark-eyed Juncos, 3 White-crowned Sparrows, 1 White-throated Sparrow and 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

8.33 hours (88) SSHA 2 (22), NOGO 2 (5), BWHA 1 (1), RTHA 3 (9), GOEA 4 (258), PRFA 1 (3) TOTAL 13 (335)

Saturday, September 29 Vicki Ridge NO OBSERVATION. The temperature was 0-2C, winds were E-NE light to moderate and cloud cover was 100% low stratus producing snow and rain for most of the day and obscuring the ridge.

Saturday, September 29 Steeples [Day 10] 1200-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 10C, cloud cover was 70-100% altocumulus and dark cumulus and a strong S wind developed by 1430. Only 7 migrants of 4 species were counted between 1239 and 1622 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) that moved together at 1317, 1a female Northern Harrier, 2u Sharp-shinned Hawks and 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk. No non-migrants were seen.

5 hours (39) BAEA 3 (16), NOHA 1 (4), SSHA 2 (23), RTHA 1 (36) TOTAL 7 (101)