The main observation site is the Hay Meadow, Mt. Lorette Site. The site is located in Kananaskis on the bank of the Kananaskis River. It has a view of the open valley. which allows excellent (though rather distant) viewing of the Fisher Range to the east. The bulk of the Golden Eagles and other raptors use this ridge as part of their preferred migration route.
Mt. Lorette Observations
See the seasonal count reports and daily summaries for historical observation counts. The following observations started in Fall 2021.
10/09/2021
Observers: Blake Weis, Annie Finch
08:00 AM
07:35 PM
3C - 11C
Migration picked up early with the first eagle at 8:30 am and ended late with the last at 6:59 pm. Cloud cover was heavy in the morning and evening though the sky was nearly cloudless in the afternoon. All but one migrant used the eastern ridges. Earlier in the day migrants were detected low over Patrick and the north side of the Fisher Range. Later in the day most were popping up over the ridges around the south side of the Fisher Range and Mount McDougall.
156 (63 adults, 1 subadult, 10 juvenile, 82 unaged)
1 Bald Eagle, 1 Cooper's Hawk, 2 Northern Goshawk, 2 Unidentified Eagle
There was an early peak of 33 migrants from 10-11 am followed by a slow period in the afternoon, then a second peak of 22 migrants from 3-4 pm
162
1 Cooper's Hawk, 1 Northern Goshawk
3 Ruffed Grouse, 1 Northern Shrike, 4 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Pacific Wren, 1 American Dipper, 1 Townsend's Solitaire, 1 Varied Thrush, 1 American Pipit, 25 White-winged Crossbill, 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler
Nothing of note
9
