Mount Lorette (11 Nov 2022) 25 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 11, 2022 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bald Eagle | 5 | 29 | 114 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 26 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 3 | 5 | 16 |
| Golden Eagle | 17 | 113 | 2340 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 6 | 27 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Total: | 25 | 154 | 2704 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 16:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8 hours |
| Official Counter | Graeme Dunlop |
| Observers: | Ruth Morrow |
Visitors:
15
Weather:
Cold with a low of -17 C and a high of -5 C. Quite calm at ground level. Ridge winds gradually increased through the day from calm in the morning to 25km/h SW by mid afternoon. Some cirrus clouds.
Raptor Observations:
Most migrants were seen flying along the eastern ridges at or near ridge level. Most eagles were able to glide but some were seen flapping and gliding. Days tally was 17 Golden Eagles (13 adults, 1 sub-adult, 2 juvenile, 1 unaged), 5 Bald Eagles (2 adults, 2 sub-adults, 1 juvenile), 3 Rough-legged Hawks.
Non-raptor Observations:
Other birds: Canada Jay 2 Black-billed Magpie 1 Common Raven 15 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Mountain Chickadee 1 Bohemian Waxwing 20
Report submitted by ()
Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo – [Project Details]
Mount Lorette (10 Nov 2022) 18 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 10, 2022 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bald Eagle | 5 | 24 | 109 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 26 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| Golden Eagle | 10 | 96 | 2323 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Eagle | 3 | 6 | 27 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Total: | 18 | 129 | 2679 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 9 hours |
| Official Counter | Blake Weis |
| Observers: | Glenn Webber |
Visitors:
6 visitors
Weather:
Much like the previous day it was cold with a low of -18 C and a high of -6 C. The sky was clear all day without a single cloud. Ground wind was calm to light from the SW with “gusts” around 15 km/h. Ridge wind was also light from the SW until 3 pm when it picked up slightly with gusts up to 22 km/h.
Raptor Observations:
Like the weather, migration was nearly identical to the day before. Most migrants used the eastern ridges and the east side of the valley with powered flight and only a little gliding and soaring. Brief views of eagles passing in front of or behind various peaks sometimes hampered identification. The highest hourly count was 3-4 pm with 6 migrants. The count consisted of 10 Golden Eagles (7 adults and 3 unaged), 5 Bald Eagles (4 adults and 1 undifferentiated immature) and 3 unidentified eagles.
Three resident adult Bald Eagles were hanging around the river just south of the site in the morning and early afternoon. The Bald Eagles, along with some ravens and magpies, seemed to be trying to get at a duck carcass caught in the ice. One of them was successful as a scattering of feathers were found by the trail on the way out. A Rough-legged Hawk was also hunting in the area. It perched briefly at the edge of the meadow before flying off to the north.
Non-raptor Observations:
Canada Jay 2 Black-billed Magpie 2 Common Raven 8 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Mountain Chickadee 2 Boreal Chickadee 2 Pine Grosbeak 1 Dark-eyed Junco 2 Harris’s Sparrow 1
Report submitted by ()
Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo – [Project Details]
Mount Lorette (09 Nov 2022) 15 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 09, 2022 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bald Eagle | 5 | 19 | 104 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 26 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| Golden Eagle | 10 | 86 | 2313 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 3 | 24 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Total: | 15 | 111 | 2661 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 9 hours |
| Official Counter | Blake Weis |
| Observers: | Lynette MacCulloch |
Visitors:
10 visitors passed through the meadow
Weather:
It was a cold morning with a low of -21 C which rose to a high of -7 C by the end of the day. The sky was almost entirely clear with just a trace of cumulus cloud in the afternoon. The wind was very light at both ground and ridge level and varied between SW and N.
Raptor Observations:
Migrants were moving low along the eastern ridges, often passing in front of or behind the parts of the Fisher Range. They were mostly detected around Mt. Patrick or farther south, though a few were seen farther north near Mt. Lorette. With hardly any wind and seemingly minor thermals migrants had to use powered flight to cover any distance. Migration was slow in the morning but picked up a bit in the afternoon with a peak of 6 migrants between 1 and 2 pm. The total count was 10 Golden Eagles (8 adults, 1 juvenile, 1 unaged) and 5 adult Bald Eagles. A resident adult Bald Eagle perched for a while over the river near the site.
Non-raptor Observations:
American Three-toed Woodpecker (Northwestern) 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Shrike 1 Canada Jay 1 Common Raven 3 Black-capped Chickadee 3 Mountain Chickadee 2 Boreal Chickadee 2 chickadee sp. 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 American Dipper 2 Bohemian Waxwing 40 Pine Grosbeak 5
Report submitted by ()
Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo – [Project Details]
Mount Lorette (08 Nov 2022) 12 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 08, 2022 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bald Eagle | 7 | 14 | 99 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 26 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| Golden Eagle | 4 | 76 | 2303 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Eagle | 1 | 3 | 24 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Total: | 12 | 96 | 2646 |
| Observation start time: | 09:45:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7.25 hours |
| Official Counter | Caroline Lambert |
| Observers: | David Musto |
Visitors:
In spite of the cold, 9 people in 3 groups came by and learned a bit about the eagle migration.
Weather:
The count started a little later than normal due to the extreme cold – it was -29C in the parking lot at sunrise. Once the sun was above the east ridge, the temperature rose quickly, but was still a frigid -22C when the observation started. Fortunately there was almost no ground wind, so there was no wind chill, and there were also no clouds, allowing the sun to provide a welcome bit of warmth. The temperature reached a high of -13C and dropped to -15C at the end of the day. There was also not much wind at ridge level either. Occasionally wisps of snow could be seen being blown off the east ridge, but that did not seem to help the migrants much.
Raptor Observations:
Few of the migrants seen today made it above ridge level. Most appeared to come into the Fisher Range low, and laboured their way south mostly below ridge level, using powered flight. At the end of the day a few were able to find enough lift to rise above the ridge and glide.
Of the 12 migrants, 4 were Golden Eagles (2a, 2u), 7 were Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa3), and one an unidentified eagle. The relatively high number of Bald Eagles was not surprising given the sudden deep freeze – they like fish, and fishing spots are rapidly disappearing as the lakes freeze over.
One non-migrant Bald Eagle was seen heading north down the river, and one Rough-legged Hawk was hunting in the area.
Non-raptor Observations:
Several skeins of Canada Geese flew over, heading south. One flock was accompanied by 11 swans. Other than that, there was 1 Downy Woodpecker, 4 Canada Jays, 4 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 American Dippers, 1 Varied Thrush, and 2 Red Crossbills.
A ski trail grooming machine came by and flattened out the snow on the trail nicely, making it much easier to walk out than it had been to walk in.
Report submitted by ()
Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo – [Project Details]
Mount Lorette (07 Nov 2022) Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 07, 2022 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 7 | 92 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 26 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 72 | 2299 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 2 | 23 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Total: | 0 | 84 | 2634 |
(No count conducted today)
Weather:
Due to snowfall, dangerous driving conditions, and extreme temperatures,-18C at ground level and-27C on the ridges, today’s observation was canceled. Low cloud coverage and snowfall were predicted for the whole day. All roads to the site were reported as covered in snow and ice.
Raptor Observations:
No observation today.
Non-raptor Observations:
Report submitted by ()
Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
