RMERF counts, April 7

Sunday, April 7 Mount Lorette [Day 36] 0625-2025 (Bill Wilson, assisted by Lori Anderson). The temperature reached a high of 7C at 1500 and it was 2C at both the start and end of observation. Ground winds were SSW-SW all day, 2-15 km/h to 0900 and 5-15 gusting up to 28 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were SW moderate to strong all day. Cloud cover was 90-100% altostratus and cumulus to 1200 then 100% cumulus and stratus that produced very light to light snow for the rest of the day that became moderate to heavy from 1630 to 1700. The east ridges were clear to 1400 but became 10-20% obscured to 1600 and then 70-100% obscured to the end, while the west was clear to 1200, 20-30% obscured to 1400 and 90-100% obscured for the rest of the day, The conditions produced a disappointing migration of only 12 eagles between 1013 and 1513 with the first 4 moving on the western route and the rest gliding high above the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette. The flight comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1j and 1 undifferentiated immature bird) and 10 Golden Eagles (2a, 1sa, 4j, 3u) with a high hourly count of only 4 Golden Eagles between 1200 and 1300. Three adult non-migrant Bald Eagles moved to the south at 1123, 1556 and 1840, and a Northern Goshawk called from the nest early in the morning and an adult was seen hunting far to the SW at 1120. Other birds recorded in the area were 2 Canada Geese on the river, 1 pair of Mallard, 1 Ruffed Grouse that drummed throughout the day, 1 pair of Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 distant Clark’s Nutcracker, 15 Common Ravens, 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 1 Boreal Chickadee, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 male Mountain Bluebird, 1 singing Varied Thrush, 7 American Robins, 4 European Starlings, 2 American Tree Sparrows, 1 Song Sparrow singing east of the river and 9 Dark-eyed Juncos, 2 of which were montanus. Thirteen White-tailed Deer fed in the meadow at the end of the day and Sunday brought 25 visitors to the site.

14 hours (412.6) BAEA 2 (176), GOEA 10 (1899) TOTAL 12 (2137)

Sunday, April 7 Beaver Mines [Day 36] 0700-2015 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0700 was 3C, the high at 1700 was 10C and it was still 6C at 2015. Winds were WSW all day, 15-30 gusting 45 km/h to 1300 after which they strengthened to 45-60 gusting up to 80 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was mainly 100% cirrus, altostratus and altocumulus throughout the morning, then 100% uniform grey altostratus to 1430 that thinned to 100% cirrus, altostratus and cumulus at 1500 and was then 20-30% cumulus and finally it was cloudless after 1730. Raptor movement was again very sporadic with a total of 28 migrants of 8 species recorded between 0819 and 1745. The count was 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 1sa, 1j), a season-high 4 Northern Harriers (2 adult males and 2 females: 1a, 1j), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1a Northern Goshawk, 6 Red-tailed Hawks (5a calurus: 4 light, 1 dark; and 1 dark bird of unknown race or age), 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk that was the first migrant of the day, 8 Golden Eagles (4a, 2sa, 2j) and 1 adult Peregrine Falcon. The highest hourly counts were 6 birds in each of the three hours after 1500. A resident adult male Northern Harrier displayed vigorously at 1304 and 1 of the resident Red-tailed Hawk pair was seen hunting at 1646. Other birds recorded were 9 Canada Geese, 3 Mallards, 4 Rock Pigeons, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 9 Blue Jays, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 15 American Crows, 12 Common Ravens, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 4 American Robins, 62 European Starlings, 54 Evening Grosbeaks, 14 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches that flew to the north at 1408, 25 Pine Siskins, 1 male cismontanus Dark-eyed Junco and 1 male Red-winged Blackbird.

13.25 hours (425.8) BAEA 6 (176), NOHA 4 (12), SSHA 1 (15), NOGO 1 (20), RTHA 6 (53), RLHA 1 (17), GOEA 8 (484), PEFA 1 (2) TOTAL 28 (799)

Sunday, April 7 Steeples [Day 32] 1500-1830 (Vance Mattson). It was overcast and rainy to 1430 when the mountains began to clear and Vance arrived at the site at 1500 when the temperature was 12C, winds were moderate to strong S-SE and 40-60% cumulus cloud cover gave mostly sunny conditions. No migrants were counted but non-migrants were common including 22 Turkey Vultures that included kettles of 6 at 1642 and 7 at 1536 which rose to 13 when a subadult Bald Eagle and 5 ravens joined the vultures. Other non-migrants were 8 additional Bald Eagles (6a, 2j) that included two pair-flights, 2 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks and 1 juvenile Golden Eagle.

3.5 hours (160) TOTAL 0 (685)