Tuesday, March 20 Mount Lorette [Day 18] 0745-1955 (Blake Weis, assisted by Brian McBride and Fiona Boisselle). The temperature was -2C at 0800, the high was 4C between 1400 and 1600 and it was 3C at the end of observation. Ground winds were mainly SW all day, 0-10 km/h in the morning and gusting to 15 km/h in the afternoon, while ridge winds were moderate SW all day. Cloud cover was a mixture of cumulus, altocumulus and altostratus all day, 90% to 1100, 100% around noon and 70-90% throughout the afternoon. The eastern ridges were 10-20% obscured between 1000 and 1300 and the west was 80% obscured around noon. There were light snow flurries between 1000 and 1300 but otherwise observing conditions were good and produced a total of 104 eagles between 0824 and 1902. The count was 2 adult Bald Eagles, 101 Golden Eagles (88a, 1sa, 1j, 11u) and 1 unidentified eagle that was the first bird of the day. All the eagles used the eastern route from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette and 75% of the birds glided high above the ridge. Movement was steady throughout the afternoon with a maximum hourly count of 21 Golden Eagles between 1800 and 1900. A resident adult Northern Goshawk was perched near the parking area and a single resident adult Golden Eagle moved to the south above the Fisher Range ridge. Other birds were a flock of 7 Canada Geese that flew high to the east, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 2 Grey Jays, 12 Common Ravens, 1 American Robin, 1 European Starling, 20 Bohemian Waxwings and a male Red-winged Blackbird. Five visitors shared the day.

12.16 hours (195.8) BAEA 2 (62), GOEA 101 (601), UE 1 (1) TOTAL 104 (683)

Tuesday, March 20 Beaver Mines [Day 24] 0800-1900 (Peter Sherrington). The starting temperature at 0800 was -1C, the high was 6C between 1100 and 1400 and it was 2C at 1900. Winds were WSW-W all day 15-20 gusting 30 km/h in the morning and 30-40 gusting to 46 km/h in the afternoon. Cloud cover was 20-50% cumulus, altostratus and altocumulus to 1300 and then 40-80% mainly cumulus throughout the rest of the afternoon. Both migration and observing conditions were excellent and produced a season-high movement of 199 raptors of 5 species between 0907 and 1843. The count comprised a season-high 24 Bald Eagles (18a, 1sa, 5j), 2 adult Northern Goshawks, a season-high 4 Red-tailed Hawks (3 light morph calurus: 2a, 1u, and 1 adult dark morph harlani), 13 Rough-legged Hawks (11 light, 2 dark) and a season-high 156 Golden Eagles (151a, 3sa, 2j). Movement was steady throughout the afternoon with 172 of the birds occurring after 1400 with hourly counts of 28 (14-1500), 27 (15-1600), 39 (16-1700), 56 (17-1800) and 22 (1800-1843).

11 hours (218.4) BAEA 24 (119), NOGO 2 (7), RTHA 4 (7), RLHA 13 (50), GOEA 156 (424) TOTAL 199 (608)

Tuesday, March 20 Steeples [Day 16] 1515-1900 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 8C at the start and fell to 5C at the end, winds were strong S-SW throughout and cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus and cumulus that darkened towards the end of observation. There was a steady movement of 43 raptors up to 1829 comprising 13 Bald Eagles (7a, 6j) and 30 adult Golden Eagles. Hourly counts were 10 (1515-1600), 20 (16-1700), 10 (17-1800) and 3 (1800-1829). Resident birds were 2 adult Bald Eagles and 3 Golden Eagles (2a, 1j). It was unfortunate that Vance’s teaching commitments restricted his observation time on what was probably a day of significant raptor movement.

3.75 hours (71.25) BAEA 13 (105), GOEA 30 (475) TOTAL 43 (581)

Monday, March 19 Mount Lorette [Day 17] 0715-1930 (George Halmazna, assisted by Dan and Cindy Parliament). The starting temperature was -10C, rose to a high at 1600 of 5C and was 2C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW light (1-5 km/h) to 1500 and SW 5-10 gusting 25 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were SW moderate all day. Cloud cover was 10-40% cumulus with 20% cirrus developing late in the day and ridges were all essentially clear. The conditions produced a fairly strong raptor migration of 116 birds between 1114 and 1757 that comprised 5 Bald Eagles (4a, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk and 110 Golden Eagles (107a, 3j) with peak movement of 41 birds (3 Bald Eagles and 38 Golden Eagles) between 1500 and 1600. Movement was on the western route to noon after which it switched to the east with most birds flying from the Fisher Range to Humming Bird Plume Hill where eagles soared high before gliding to the NW over Skogan Pass. Only the last 10 birds of the day flew to the NW above Mount Lorette. Other birds present were 1 Ruffed Grouse, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 3 Grey Jays, 12 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch and 1 European Starling. The 30 visitors to the site included 27 students and staff from Crescent Heights High-School in Calgary.

12.25 hours (183.7) BAEA 5 (60), NOGO 1 (6), GOEA 110 (500) TOTAL 116 (579)

Monday, March 19 Beaver Mines [Day 23] 0800-1820 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0800 was -5C, rose to a high of 5C between 1400 and 1600 and was 3C at the end of observation. Winds were WSW all day, light to 1100 and then 15-30 km/h for the rest of the day, and cloud cover was initially 100% stratus that produced light snow to 0830 and quickly thinned after 1000 to 50-10% cumulus to 1600 after which it was cloudless for the rest of the day. After two weeks of mainly upslope light winds, this afternoon’s conditions were ideal for raptor migration and produced a season-high count of 159 birds of 5 species that moved between 1257 and 1810. The count was a season-high 19 adult Bald Eagles, 2 adult Northern Goshawks, 1u light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 7 Rough-legged Hawks (6 light, 1 dark) and a season-high 130 Golden Eagles (127a, 2sa, 1j). Movement was very steady between 1300 and 1800 and produced hourly counts of 15, 34, 51 (1500-1600), 25 and 30, with only 3 birds seen after 1800.

10.33 hours (207.4) BAEA 19 (95), NOGO 2 (5), RTHA 1 (3), RLHA 7 (37), GOEA 130 (268) TOTAL 159 (409)

Monday, March 19 Steeples [Day 15] 1530-1900 (Vance Mattson). The temperature at 1530 was 8C which dropped to 5C by 1900. Conditions were calm and cloud cover was 80-100% cumulus, altostratus, altocumulus and stratus, and the ridges north of the site were obscured throughout. Migration was sparse with only 3 adult Bald Eagles and 5 adult Golden Eagles seen, with 5 of the birds recorded between 1730 and 1740. Resident activity, however, was again strong comprising 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 2j) that included a courtship flight, and a pair of Golden Eagles that displayed as Vance arrived at the site.

3.5 hours (67.5) BAEA 3 (92), GOEA 5 (445) TOTAL 8 (538)

Sunday, March 18 Mount Lorette [Day 16] 0730-1930 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Heinz Unger). The starting temperature was -2C, dropped to -3C between 0900 and 1100, reached a high of -1C between 1400 and 1800 and was -2C at 1930. Ground winds were NW-N 5-15 gusting 20 km/h all day and ridge winds were probably similar. Cloud cover was 100% stratus all day with moderate snow falling to 1100, light snow to 1300 and very light snow for the rest of the day. The west was 100% obscured all day and the east cleared to 80-90% in the early afternoon. Despite these conditions there was again a small movement of eagles with 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 1sa, 1j) and 4 adult Golden Eagles migrating between 1029 and 1632. Birds moved low over the central or eastern part of the valley or, when conditions allowed, along the Fisher Range ridge. Other birds seen were 1 Grey Jay, 6 Common Ravens, 8 European Starlings, 4 Snow Buntings (appropriate to the conditions!) and 2 Common Redpolls. Eight visitors made it to the site.

12 hours (171.4) BAEA 6 (55), GOEA 4 (390) TOTAL 10 (463)

Sunday, March 18 Beaver Mines [Day 22] 0800-1130, 1400-1700 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature was -2C at 0800, fell to -4C at 1100, was -3C at 1400 and fell again to -4C at 1600 where it remained for the rest of the day. Winds were NE-ESE all day, calm to light to 1000 and then 15-18 km/h for the rest of the day. Fog filled the valley and obscured the ridge to 1000 when it briefly cleared and allowed the passage of an adult Bald Eagle at 1008, which proved to be the day’s only migrant as the dense fog returned immediately afterwards. The fog was replaced by freezing rain at 1130 which gradually turned to light snow which became heavier as the afternoon progressed, and the ridge never cleared again although it remained a ghostly outline. The forecast tomorrow calls for the snow to stop around noon, with moderate W winds developing in the afternoon which should finally be favourable for raptor movement: we shall see!

5.5 hours (197.1) BAEA 1 (76) TOTAL 1 (250)

Sunday, March 18 Steeples [Day 14] 1100-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was -1C at 1100 and rose to a high of 5C, winds were light NE with calm periods and cloud was 100% altostratus and stratus throughout. The ridges to the north became obscured by 1600 and by 1700 the main ridges were also obscured and observation ceased at 1800. A total of 61 migrants moved steadily between 1258 and 1654 comprising 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 2j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, which was the first non-eagle migrant of the season, and 55 Golden Eagles (45a, 2sa, 7j, 1u). The flight was slow and involved much soaring and flapping, but was steady with hourly counts after 1300 of 19, 14, 19 and 7 with the last bird, a juvenile Golden Eagle, moving north just as the ridge was being enveloped by cloud. Two migrant Golden Eagles were seen to briefly perch during a calm period between 1400 and 1500, and a third migrant interrupted its soaring by making a vertical hunting stoop, the result of which was hidden behind a ridge.Non-migrant eagles were also conspicuous and comprised 2 juvenile Bald Eagles, one of which interacted with a juvenile Golden Eagle, and 5 Golden Eagles (3a, 2j) with one of the adults performing the first display flight seen this season.

7 hours (64) BAEA 5 (89), NOGO 1 (1), GOEA 55 (440) TOTAL 61 (530)

Saturday, March 17 Mount Lorette 0740-1720 (Jim Davis). The starting temperature was -2C, the high 3C at 1500 and it was 1C at the end of observation. Ground winds were light NE all day and ridge winds were also light E-NE. Cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus and stratus all day but became slightly broken allowing hazy sunshine between 1200 and 1400. A further 5cm of snow fell to 1128 and the ridges were all obscured to 1400 after which the east was up to 50% clear. Despite these unpromising conditions a total of 41 migrants of 5 species were recorded between 0949 and 1535. The first bird, a juvenile Bald Eagle flew low above the river to the north, and the rest of the birds were seen between 1242 and 1535 with 17 occurring between 1300 and 1400 and 18 between 1400 and 1500. During this period eagles soared low against Mount Kidd and Mount Allan and flew low over Skogan Pass to the NW and the Bow Valley when the cloud cover appeared to be thinner. Two adult-shinned Hawks flew low together to the north just west of the Hay Meadow, 2 adult Northern Goshawks flew over Skogan Pass together and a dark morph Gyrfalcon was also seen The final count was 7 Bald Eagles (1a, 3sa, 3j), 2 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 adult Northern Goshawks, 29 Golden Eagles (14a, 1sa, 14u) and 1 dark morph Gyrfalcon. Other birds present were a Northern Pygmy-Owl that sang east of the river at 0947, 5 Grey Jays, 7 Common Ravens, 1 Mountain Chickadee and 3 European Starlings. Thirteen hardy visitors made it to the site today.

9.67 hours (159.4) BAEA 7 (49), SSHA 2 (5), NOGO 2 (5), GOEA 29 (386), GYRF 1 (4) TOTAL 41 (453)

Saturday, March 17 Beaver Mines [Day 21] 0800-1800 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0800 was -6C, the high between 1300 and 1700 was 2C and it was 0C at 1800. Winds were yet again light and mainly SE-E and apart from the first half-hour when it was cloudless, cloud cover was 100% stratus and stratocumulus all day. The conditions again proved inimical to raptor movement and only 8 migrants were recorded between 1130 and 1736: 4 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa, 1j), 1 adult rufous morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark) and only 1 adult Golden Eagle. Three American Robins were the first for the year, as was a Killdeer that flew above the valley towards the SW at 1616.

10 hours (191.6) BAEA 4 (75), RTHA 1 (2), RLHA 2 (30), GOEA 1 (138) TOTAL 8 (249)

Saturday, March 17 Steeples [Day 13] 1100-1900 (Vance Mattson). The temperature reached a high of 9C from a low of 3C at 1100 winds were light N-NE and 20-50% mainly cumulus cloud behind the ridges gave good observing conditions. A season-high count of 128 migrants was made between 1205 and 1801 that comprised 9 Bald Eagles (5a, 1sa, 3j) and a season-high 119 Golden Eagles (105a, 2sa, 12j). Migration was initially slow with only 9 birds recorded by 1400, but the next 4 hours produced counts of 17, 31, 47 (16-1700) and 24 eagles. Soaring kettles of up to 6 eagles occurred but most flight, especially between 1500 and 1700, was high fast gliding after which it was generally close to ridge level. Non-migrant or resident birds involved 9 sightings of Bald Eagles (4a, 1sa, 4j) and 6 sightings of Golden Eagles (5a, 1j). The highlight of non-raptor movement was the first occurrence of a flock of 14 California Gulls that soared very high above the ridge before moving off to the north.

8 hours (57) BAEA 9 (84), GOEA 119 (385) TOTAL 128 (469)

Thursday, March 15 Mount Lorette (Blake Weis). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Blake was at the Hay Meadow 0810-0940 (0C) and again at Lorette Ponds 1050-1120 (1C) but heavy snow persisted under calm conditions and the mountains were completely obscured all day.

Thursday, March 15 Beaver Mines [Day 19] 1150-1310 (Peter Sherrington). Rain started early in the morning and turned to light snow at 0830. The ridge was obscured all day with the exception of 1150-1310 when precipitation ceased, the temperature was 1C and the ridge completely cleared, but no raptors were seen.

1.33 hours (169.6) TOTAL 0 (227)

Thursday, March 15 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Low cloud obscured the valley and mountains all day.

Friday, March 16 Mount Lorette 0830-2010 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rick Robb). Caroline drove to the site in dense fog, was greeted by 30 cm of fresh snow and had to snowshoe to the Hay Meadow site. The temperature at 0830 was -3C, the high at 1600 and 1700 was 3C and it was 2C at 2000. Ground winds were light and very variable all day and ridge winds were moderate SW to 1200, moderate S to 1600 and then E moderate to light for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 20-30% cumulus to 1500 after which it thickened to 70-100% cumulus and altostratus to the end of observation. The eastern route was clear to 1100, was 20% obscured to 1500 and was then variably 40-70% obscured. The west was clear to 0900 and was then was very variably obscured 20-100% throughout the rest of the day. Fortunately no further snow fell. Despite the conditions a season-high 153 eagles migrated between 1130 and 1850, 150 of which were a season-high count of Golden Eagles. The flight comprised 3 adult Bald Eagles and 150 Golden Eagles (89a, 4sa, 5j, 52u). The hourly counts were 2 (1130-1200), 3 (12-1300), 8 (13-1400), 9 (14-1500), 47 (15-1600, including kettles of 8 and 10 eagles), 50 (16-1700, including kettles of 9, 16 and 13), 30 (17-1800) and 4 (1800-1850). Much of the movement was on the western route with kettles forming over Hummingbird Hill and Mount Lorette where birds often soared into low cloud. Other birds later in the day moved from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette. One resident Bald Eagle and the resident pair of Golden Eagles were also noted. Other birds seen were 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Grey Jay, 14 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 American Dipper and 2 Pine Grosbeaks. Five visitors made it to the site.

11.67 hours (149.8) BAEA 3 (42), GOEA 150 (357) TOTAL 153 (412)

Friday, March 16 Beaver Mines [Day 20] 0800-2000 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0800 was -1C, reached a high of 6C from 1200 to 1600 and was 0C at 1800. Winds were WSW 15-25 km/h to 1100 and then became variable and light for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 20-70% thin altostratus to 1100 and 100% thin stratus for the rest of the day which gave hazy sunshine and excellent observing conditions. Ten migrants (1 Bald and 9 Golden Eagles) moved high to the NW between 0820 and 1054, but once the moderate WSW winds ceased only 4 more raptors were seen between 1355 and 1636, all of which flapped low to the NNW. The count was 2 adult Bald Eagles, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 11 Golden Eagles (10a, 1sa).

12 hours (181.6) BAEA 2 (71), RLHA 1 (28), GOEA 11 (137) TOTAL 14 (241)

Friday, March 16 Steeples [Day 12] 1300-1915 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 8C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was initially 40% cumulus concentrated behind the ridges that changed to 70% cumulus, stratus, and altostratus by 1400. By 1630 the high peaks were also clear with 40% cumulus, thin altostratus and lenticular cloud, which changed again to 70% thin altostratus and lenticular by 1800. A season-high 117 migrants, all eagles, migrated between 1315 and 1854 comprising 16 Bald Eagles (7a, 9j) and a season-high 101 Golden Eagles (96a, 5j). At first movement was direct gliding flight, but after 1700 soaring was the dominant mode with 2 kettles of 6 birds seen between 1700 and 1800 and another of 5 birds at 1814. Many eagles again appeared to move as pairs. Hourly counts were 15 (1315-1400), 17 (14-1500), 3 (15-1600), 26 (16-1700), 48 (17-1800) and 8 (1800-1854). Non-migrant activity was also plentiful and comprised 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 1sa, 1j) including a courtship soaring and pursuit display by an adult pair seen on two occasions, and 5 sightings of Golden Eagles (3a, 2j) that included an adult that perched unconcernedly while several conspecific migrants passed directly overhead. An American Robin and 5 Dark-eyed Juncos were also seen for the first time at the site.

6.25 hours (49) BAEA 16 (75), GOEA 101 (266) TOTAL 117 (341)