RMERF counts April 5

Thursday, April 5 Mount Lorette [Day 32] 0725-1900 (Blake Weis assisted by Rosemary). The starting temperature was -12C, the high at 1300-1700 was -7C and it was -8C at the end of observation. Ground winds were N-NE, 5-10 km/h to 1000, 15-20 km/h to 1400 and 10-20 gusting to 40 km/h to 1700, and ridge winds were moderate NW to 1300 after which they were strong. Cloud cover was 70-90% stratocumulus, cumulus, altostratus and altocumulus to 1600, after which it was 100%. The eastern ridges were 40-90% occluded to 1600 when they were completely obscured and the west was 100% obscured to 1200, then 80-100% for the rest of the day. Light snow fell to 1000, restarted at 1400 and became moderate to heavy after 1600. Despite these unpromising conditions there was a movement of 32 raptors of 3 species between 1217 and 1527 that comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 high-soaring unidentified Buteo, 28 Golden Eagles (13a, 1sa, 14u) and 2 large unidentified raptors. Two Golden Eagles flew from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette, and the Bald Eagle flew from the eastern valley to Mount Lorette, but all the other birds were located to the west, either on Olympic Summit or gliding low beneath the clouds against Mount Collembola from where they moved to the NW over Skogan Pass. The hourly counts were 7 (1217-1300), 11 (1300-1400), 9 (1400-1500) and 5 (1500-1527). Three Bald Eagles (2a, 1j) were considered non-migrants, and there was a single sighting of a resident adult Golden Eagle over Hummingbird Plume Hill. At 1700 all ridges were obscured and the snowfall was becomong heavier so the observers decided to move to Lusk Creek, stopping at Lorette Ponds en route, but no further migrants were seen. Other birds seen at the Hay Meadow site were 1 Northern [intergrade] Flicker, 1 American Crow, 4 Common Ravens, 57 American Robins, 55 of which flew low to the north in flocks of 6-26 birds, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 11 European Starlings, 1 Song Sparrow and 4 Dark-eyed Juncos. Mount Lorette Ponds yielded a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye, a female Hooded Merganser and 1 Grey Jay, and the only birds seen at Lusk Creek were a flock of 20 Bohemian Waxwings. Three Bighorn Sheep were seen on Olympic Summit and, not surprisingly, there were no visitors today.

11.58 hours (359.9) BAEA 1 (139), UB 1 (1), GOEA 28 (1909), UU (2) TOTAL 32 (2121)

Thursday, April 5 Beaver Mines (Peter Sherrington). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). There was snow all day with moderate E winds and temperatures between -10 and -8C. The ridge cleared briefly on a couple of occasions when the snow became light, but there was never any prospect of migration happening.

Thursday, April 5 Steeples (Vance Mattson). NO OBSERVATION (Weather). Rain, snow and overcast all day.