Mount Lorette (18 Oct 2024) 81 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 18, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 42 | 53 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 69 | 87 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| American Goshawk | 1 | 12 | 12 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 10 | 18 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 11 | 11 |
| Golden Eagle | 79 | 1841 | 2104 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Merlin | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Total: | 81 | 2010 | 2333 |
| Observation start time: | 06:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 11 hours |
| Official Counter | Graeme Dunlop |
| Observers: | Carol McTavish |
Visitors:
About 18 people stopped to ask questions. Special thanks to Edith and Elaine who stayed for a few hours in the afternoon and helped me spot and track the very high-flying eagles!
Weather:
It was a cool and windy day with temperatures ranging from 0C to a high of 4C at 1300. Ground winds were S to SW generally moderate but occasionally gusting 50 km/h, while ridge winds were moderate to strong all day SW to WSW gusting over 100km/h between 1500 and 1700. Cloud cover ranged from 30-100% variously lenticular, altostratus, cumulus, stratocumulus, cirrostratus and cirrus. Heavier clouds gradually increased from the west through the afternoon and some light snow fell from 1700.
Raptor Observations:
All but 2 of the dayâs 81 migrant raptors were Golden Eagles which moved from 0825 to 1705 with a maximum count of 13 between 1300 and 1400. The flight comprised 31 adults, 2 subadults, 4 juveniles, 2 undifferentiated immatures and 40 birds of undetermined age. The only other migrants were an adult American Goshawk and a light adult Red-tailed Hawk. All but 2 of the migrants used the Eastern Ridges, mostly gliding across the valley at great height from Mt Lorette. From about 1430 when ridge winds were gusting over 100km/h many of the eagles would soar over Mt Lorette before gliding SW into the wind while gaining considerable height, sometimes into the cloud base, before gradually turning back towards the Fisher Range and continuing south at great height and speed.
Non-raptor Observations:
Common Mergansers 4, 1 Gull sp., Downy Woodpeckers 2, Northern Flicker 1, Canada Jay 2, Common Raven 15, Mountain Chickadee 1, Red-breasted Nuthatch 1, American Dipper 1, Pine Siskin 18
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
