Mount Lorette (21 Sep 2024) 51 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 21, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Northern Harrier | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 37 | 37 | 37 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total: | 51 | 51 | 51 |
| Observation start time: | 07:45:00 |
| Observation end time: | 18:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 10.25 hours |
| Official Counter | Blake Weis |
| Observers: | Lynn Macintosh |
Visitors:
55 visitors stopped to talk. 6 stopped to look for migrants. Thanks to everyone who did, feel free to stop by again!
Weather:
A frosty morning turned into a beautiful fall day. The temperature was -2C at the start of observation, it rose to a high of 12 in the afternoon, then fell to 11 by the end of the day. Ground wind was light in the morning, then blustery in the afternoon with gusts around 20 km/h. At ridge level, wind was moderate in the morning and strong in the afternoon. Cloud cover varied between 20% and 60%.
Raptor Observations:
It was a great day for migration, with a good variety of raptors and about three times the average Golden Eagle count for this date. The first migrant, a Golden Eagle, was spotted almost immediately on arrival to the site just before 9 AM. More migrants passed in the first half of the day than in the latter half, a reverse of the usual pattern. Ageing was difficult in the morning as migrants were often silhouetted in front of the rising sun, but observing conditions were good otherwise. The count for the day was 51 raptors including 37 Golden Eagles (12 adults, 4 sub-adults, 3 juveniles, 6 undifferentiated immature, 12 unaged), 3 Bald Eagles, 2 Northern Harriers, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 3 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 American Kestrel, 1 Merlin, and 1 small unidentified raptor. A local adult Goshawk was seen hunting over Hummingbird Plume Hill, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk that was moving to the north high up was counted as a resident raptor as it didn’t seem to be actively migrating. It was also nice to see a juvenile Northern Harrier close by while it spent a few minutes hunting in the meadow before moving on.
Non-raptor Observations:
Other birds included: 1 Ruffed Grouse, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Northern Flickers, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 8 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 American Dipper, 1 Mountain Bluebird, 1 Varied Thrush, 15 American Robins, 2 American Pipits, 2 Pine Siskins, 4 Dark-eyed Juncos, 1 Savannah Sparrow, 25 Yellow-rumped Warblers, & 2 Wilson’s Warblers
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Mount Lorette (20 Sep 2024) Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 20, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 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 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 11:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 1.35 hours |
| Official Counter | Caroline Lambert |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
2 intrepid souls were out in the rain.
Weather:
It was a short day at the site. The start was delayed due to low clouds and rain, which gave way to heavy, broken clouds which still mostly obscured the ridges. There was some hope that the clouds would clear up, and although each peak could be seen at various times in the morning, the clouds closed in, and rain and hail caused the count to be terminated by noon, as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped suddenly from 7C to 3C. I stuck around the area for a while, but, although there were clear skies occasionally above the valley and the wind died down, it rained off and on, and the clouds never lifted off the ridges all afternoon.
Raptor Observations:
No migrant raptors were seen. The only raptor was an Osprey that flew north along the bottom of the ski slopes.
Non-raptor Observations:
Very few of the trees at the site had any yellow on them – most unusual. It barely looked like fall at all. There were a few other birds around – a Belted Kingfisher, one Northern Flicker, three Canada Jays, one Common Raven, two Black-capped Chickadees, one Mountain Chickadee, two Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and eight Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Predictions:
Should be a perfect day with southwest winds, a few clouds, and fresh snow on the ridges.
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
2024 Fall Count
The Fall 2024 Migration Count runs from September 20 to November 15 with observers at the Mount Lorette site daily. If interested in visiting the site we suggest that you visit after 3pm. We see the majority of migrating eagles later in the afternoon. This is the 32rd year of vigilant recording. Observation map. Thank you to the observers and count coordinators.
See the Fall Count 2024 Daily Summaries
Mount Lorette (22 Apr 2024) 4 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 22, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 23 | 82 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 14 | 15 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| American Goshawk | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 19 | 22 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | 199 | 1784 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 4 | 281 | 1954 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 16:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7.22 hours |
| Official Counter | Caroline Lambert |
| Observers: | Rosemary Power |
Visitors:
Only one visitor inquired about the count.
Weather:
Initially the weather looked like it would be a short day, but the clouds that engulfed the valley in the morning cleared up and the rest of the day was unremarkable with seasonal temperatures, not too much wind, clear ridges, and partly cloudy skies. The temperature started at 2C and rose to 7C. Ground winds were light to moderate and mostly from the west, while upper winds were low from the northwest. Ridge winds were unknown, but likely quite light judging by raven behaviour.
Raptor Observations:
Only four migrant raptors were observed – one Golden Eagle (1u), one Cooper’s Hawk, one American Goshawk, and one unidentified accipiter.
A number of local raptors were spotted during the day – at least two adult Red-tailed Hawks, one or two adult Golden Eagles, and an immature Bald Eagle.
Non-raptor Observations:
The most notable non-raptor observation was a raven trying to catch what looked like a butterfly flying high over the east side of the valley, possibly migrating. The raven made several attempts to catch the butterfly, putting on quite a display of aerial gymnastics, but was not able to succeed. Other birds were: Canada Goose 1, Ruffed Grouse 3, American Three-toed Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 1, Common Raven 7, Black-capped Chickadee 3, Mountain Chickadee 3, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2, Mountain Bluebird 1, Varied Thrush 1, American Robin 7, Fox Sparrow 1, Dark-eyed Junco 15, White-crowned Sparrow 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]
Mount Lorette (20 Apr 2024) 13 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 20, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 2 | 23 | 82 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 14 | 15 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 19 | 22 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 7 | 198 | 1783 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 13 | 277 | 1950 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 16:45:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7.83 hours |
| Official Counter | Blake Weis |
| Observers: | Colin Stallknecht |
Visitors:
37 people stopped to talk
Weather:
The temperature was -1 C at the start of observation, it rose to a high of 7, then fell to 6 as we were leaving. There wasn’t a single cloud all day. Ground wind was 10-20 km/h from the SW. Rige wind direction couldn’t be judged due to the lack of low cloud or blowing snow, but strength was probably light to moderate since there wasn’t any snow blowing off the ridges. In the afternoon some snow plumes appeared indicating moderate to strong winds from the S-SW.
Raptor Observations:
Migrants moved over the western ridges and valley, except for the last two Golden Eagles, who used the eastern ridges. Height and flight method were variable. The count for the day was 7 Golden Eagles (4 adults, 2 subadults, 1 unaged), 2 Bald Eagles (1 adult, 1 subadult), 1 Osprey, 1 Adult Cooper’s Hawk, 1 Female American Kestrel, and 1 unidentified Accipiter. Local raptors included an adult Red-tailed Hawk and a Prairie Falcon that was flying south along the Fisher Range.
Non-raptor Observations:
The most interesting non-raptor was a Snow Goose who landed on a gravel bar across the river from the site at 10:30 AM and was still there when we left around 5:45 PM. The other birds were: Canada Goose 2, Ruffed Grouse 1, Belted Kingfisher 1, Red-naped Sapsucker 1, Northern Flicker 2, Common Raven 17, Black-capped Chickadee 2, Mountain Chickadee 4, Boreal Chickadee 2, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, Golden-crowned Kinglet 5, Red-breasted Nuthatch 2, Brown Creeper 1, Varied Thrush 2, American Robin 6, American Pipit 1, Red Crossbill 1, Fox Sparrow 1, Dark-eyed Junco 1, Lincoln’s Sparrow 1, and Brewer’s 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]
Mount Lorette (21 Apr 2024) Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 21, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 23 | 82 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 14 | 15 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 19 | 22 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 198 | 1783 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 0 | 277 | 1950 |
| Observation start time: | 10:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 3 hours |
| Official Counter | Jessica Banas |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
There were very few people seen today, and two stopped to chat briefly.
Weather:
Upon arrival to the parking lot at 9:30, it was near white-out conditions with snow and fog covering the entire valley (a surprise given the forecast). After an hour, the conditions lifted slightly on the East side of the valley, so the count was started at 11. Snow continued throughout the morning on the west side of the valley and ridges of the east, with incredibly high winds blowing on both sides. The ground winds were quite strong as well with gusts up 60km/hr. The temperature stayed static for the entire duration of the count at 3C. The clouds were thick and towards 2pm the rain clouds moved in which led to the count being ended.
Raptor Observations:
There were no migrating raptors seen today. There was a brief low sighting of a local sub-adult golden.
Non-raptor Observations:
Other observations were also limited, even the Ravens were grounded and only seen in the parking lot, however there were 7 female common mergansers in a small group on the river, which was a nice treat. The fox sparrow continued today as well for the brief 5 minutes the sun made an appearance.
2 Canada Goose, 9 Common Merganser, 1 Ruffed Grouse, 2 Common Raven, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 2 Boreal Chickadee, 2 Varied Thrush, 1 American Robin, 3 Bohemian Waxwing, 1 Fox Sparrow, 54 Dark-eyed Junco.
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Mount Lorette (19 Apr 2024) 15 Raptors
Alberta, Canada
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 19, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 2 | 21 | 80 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 3 | 14 | 15 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 19 | 22 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 2 | 5 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 5 | 191 | 1776 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Gyrfalcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 15 | 264 | 1937 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 16:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7 hours |
| Official Counter | Annie Finch |
| Observers: | Glenn Webber, Michael Yeoman |
Visitors:
About 9 people stopped by to chat about the count.
Weather:
The morning started out at -4°C and rose to 1°C by 3:00 pm. Ground wind direction swung between SW and NE throughout the day, usually between 5 and 10 km/h. Ridge winds were difficult to judge, but seemed strong and steady from the north; many birds made headway with a combination of flapping and kiting/gliding into the wind. Scattered cumulus clouds in the morning and patches of cirrus cloud in the afternoon broke up the otherwise clear blue sky.
Raptor Observations:
Migrant Eagles 5 Golden Eagles: 4a, 1u 2 Bald Eagles: 2a
Other Migrant Raptors 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Rough-legged Hawk 2 Merlin
Non-migrant Raptors The resident raptors were quite active, with the Golden Eagle pair keeping us on our toes. Local Red-tailed Hawks, American Goshawk, and Bald Eagle also made repeated appearances.
Non-raptor Observations:
Very few other birds were around. The Fox Sparrow serenading us from across the river was a special treat.
1 Northern Flicker 5 Common Raven 3 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Mountain Chickadee 3 American Robin 3 Bohemian Waxwing 1 Fox Sparrow 3 Dark-eyed Junco
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Mount Lorette information may be found at: eaglewatch.ca
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
