Mount Lorette and Beaver Mines, April 21

April 21 [Day 50] (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Diane Stinson) 1200-2030. Because of heavy snow observation did not begin until noon when the temperature was 4C; it rose to a high of 8C at 1700 and 1800 and was still 7C when observation ended at 2030. Ground winds were variable and light with occasional gusts to 10 km/h, and ridge winds were mainly west and also light. Snow finished shortly after 1200 but there was no accumulation on the valley floor and the snow line on the mountains remained about 100 m higher on the mountain sides. One hundred percent stratus cloud persisted to 1300 after which cloud cover was 50-90% cumulus and altocumulus for the rest of the day. All ridges remained obscured to 1300 when they began to clear: at 1400 the east was 60% clear and totally clear by 1500, and the west was 40% clear at 1500 and finally cleared at 1700. Despite the poor start to the day there was a fairly strong raptor movement dominated by Golden Eagles with 22 birds migrating between 1305 and 1728, 11 of which, including 10 Golden Eagles were seen between 1305 and 1400, and 8 migrants including 7 Golden Eagles also moved between 1600 and 1700. The count was 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1u Northern Goshawk, 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk and 19 Golden Eagles (18j, 1u). Most of the early afternoon movement was to the NW over Skogan Pass and subsequently birds moved on a wide front in the light winds. Resident and non-migrant raptors were 4a Bald Eagles, a pair of Red-tailed Hawks and the Golden Eagle pair, one of which displayed above Olympic Summit. Other birds recorded included 1 drumming Ruffed Grouse, 4 Northern Flickers, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 9 Mountain Bluebirds (6m, 3f), 12 American Robins, 15 American Pipits, 4 Bohemian Waxwings that were catching flying insects above the river, 1 singing Song Sparrow and 30 Dark-eyed Juncos. Seventeen visitors were at the site today. Today was also notable that in 25 years of RMERF history this was the first time that both the Principal and Assistant Observers at the Hay Meadow site were females: job well done ladies! Tomorrow will be the last day of the spring 2017 count and Cliff would welcome help to clear the equipment from the site at the end of the day.

8.5 hours (575.2) SSHA 1 (14), NOGO 1 (25), RTHA 1 (49), GOEA 19 (2244) TOTAL 22 (2616)

Beaver Mines [Day 55] (Peter Sherrington) 1430-1900. Heavy wet snow and sleet fell to 1000 which then changed to rain which finally stopped at 1430 although brief showers and drizzle persisted to 1600. The temperature was 5C when observation started at 1430 and was 6C at 1900. Winds were variable and calm to light (<10 km/h) throughout the observation period, and cloud cover was 100% stratus and cumulus to 1730 when it began to rapidly break up to cumulus cloud which was 40% under bright sunshine after 1830. The only migrant raptor seen was an adult female American Kestrel that flew low to the NNW at 1846, and the only soaring activity in the calm conditions was a pair of resident Red-tailed Hawks that circled low over the valley at 1618. Not a single bird, including ravens, was seen above the ridge all day. The brilliant late evening light, however, spotlighted a mixed grazing herd of 18 Elk, 3 Mule Deer and 20 Wild Turkeys on the grassy hill to the NE. Tomorrow will also be the last day of the Beaver Mines count.

4.5 hours (498.1) AMKE 1 (5) TOTAL 1 (1954)

Steeples (Vance Mattson) No observation.

MOUNT LORETTE SUMMARY COUNT (March 1 to April 22)

DAYS 50

HOURS 575.2

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0

OSPREY (OSPR) 0

BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 212

NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 4

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 14

COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 5

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 25

Accipiter sp. (UA) 0

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 3

SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 2

RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 49

FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 0

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 22

Buteo sp. (UB) 3

GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 2244

Eagle sp. (UE) 13

AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 4

MERLIN (MERL) 5

GYRFALCON (GYRF) 2

PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 4

PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 1

Falco sp. (UF) 2

Unidentified Raptor (UU) 2

TOTAL 2616