Since the fall of 2009, there has been a reconnaissance count at or near the Steeples Ridge which is located on the east side of the Kootenay Valley (Rocky Mountain Trench) 25 km NE of Cranbrook, B.C.
Steeples Observations
See the count reports for historical data.
10/23/2021
Observers: Blake Weis, Annie Finch
11:00 AM
07:00 PM
4C - 5C
We started the count later than usual due to heavy rain in the morning. By 11 am it had turned to light rain and the ridges were still obscured. The low cloud slowly lifted off the mountains between 2 and 5 pm and the rain stopped around 4 pm. The first migrant was seen at 1:16 pm soaring low below the cloud in front of Patrick. It ramped up from there into a big rush late in the day. The last migrant passed just before sunset at 6:23 pm. Continuing the Saturday trend most of them were difficult to age silhouetted by heavy cloud cover. The highlight of the day was a black swift which few south down the valley around 4:50 pm. That species is scarce at any time of the year but seems especially rare this late into the fall.
45 (13 adults, 3 juveniles, 29 unaged)
2 Bald Eagles, 5 Rough-legged Hawks
Most migrants (31 of 52) passed between 5 pm and 6 pm
52
1 Bald Eagle
1 Black Swift, 1 Ruffed Grouse, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 20 Bohemian Waxwings, 2 Common Redpolls, 5 Pine Siskins, 5 Lapland Longspurs, 1 White-crowned Sparrow
Nothing of note
0
