Mount Lorette (25 Mar 2025) 16 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 25, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 20 | 20 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 16 | 697 | 697 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 16 | 725 | 725 |
| Observation start time: | 07:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 18:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 10.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Caroline Lambert |
| Observers: | Lynette MacCulloch |
Visitors:
Besides the school group of about 25 children and adults, about 15 people stopped to talk. Thanks again to Ed for helping to spot.
Weather:
The day started out promising, with some blue sky, and the sun felt warm when it rose over the east ridge. But it didn’t last. The only redeeming feature of the weather was the warm temperature – it started at -1C and rose to 8C before dropping to 7C at the end of the day. As the day progressed, stratus clouds became more widespread and lower. The higher peaks disappeared in the afternoon and were not seen again, and the lower parts of the ridges faded in and out as light rain came and went. There was very little ground wind, and apparently not much wind at ridge level, as any eagles seen were needing to soar in thermals or flap to make any progress. The last migrant eagle was seen at 1615, and the count was terminated in light rain at 1830.
Raptor Observations:
There was hope for a good day of migration as the first Golden Eagle was seen low over Nakiska around 0830. However, by noon only six Golden Eagles had been seen, and only one was in sight when the school group of binocular-wielding children came by. We’re not sure how many of them saw that Golden Eagle, but most of them saw a Bald Eagle, and they seemed excited to see ravens.
The total was 16 Golden Eagles (13a, 3u), and no other migrants were seen. This year’s total to date of 697 Golden Eagles is the second lowest in the same time period (2012 was lower), and only a little more than half the average for this time of year. With snow and rain forecast for the next few days, it does not seem the numbers will improve.
Three non-migrant raptors were spotted – the two resident Golden Eagles, and an American Goshawk.
Non-raptor Observations:
For once there was a bit of variety in the non-raptor species. Thrushes were represented by a single singing Varied Thrush and three American Robins, but we were wondering where the Mountain Bluebirds have got to. Other birds were:
Canada Goose 4, Swan sp. 4, Ruffed Grouse 2, Great Blue Heron 1, Pileated Woodpecker 2, Canada Jay 2, Common Raven 15, Black-capped Chickadee 2, Mountain Chickadee 1, Red-breasted Nuthatch 1, American Dipper 1, European Starling 3, American Robin 3, Bohemian Waxwing 25, Red-winged Blackbird 1
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
