RMERF counts, March 19

Monday, March 19 Mount Lorette [Day 17] 0715-1930 (George Halmazna, assisted by Dan and Cindy Parliament). The starting temperature was -10C, rose to a high at 1600 of 5C and was 2C at the end of observation. Ground winds were SW light (1-5 km/h) to 1500 and SW 5-10 gusting 25 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were SW moderate all day. Cloud cover was 10-40% cumulus with 20% cirrus developing late in the day and ridges were all essentially clear. The conditions produced a fairly strong raptor migration of 116 birds between 1114 and 1757 that comprised 5 Bald Eagles (4a, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk and 110 Golden Eagles (107a, 3j) with peak movement of 41 birds (3 Bald Eagles and 38 Golden Eagles) between 1500 and 1600. Movement was on the western route to noon after which it switched to the east with most birds flying from the Fisher Range to Humming Bird Plume Hill where eagles soared high before gliding to the NW over Skogan Pass. Only the last 10 birds of the day flew to the NW above Mount Lorette. Other birds present were 1 Ruffed Grouse, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 3 Grey Jays, 12 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch and 1 European Starling. The 30 visitors to the site included 27 students and staff from Crescent Heights High-School in Calgary.

12.25 hours (183.7) BAEA 5 (60), NOGO 1 (6), GOEA 110 (500) TOTAL 116 (579)

Monday, March 19 Beaver Mines [Day 23] 0800-1820 (Peter Sherrington). The temperature at 0800 was -5C, rose to a high of 5C between 1400 and 1600 and was 3C at the end of observation. Winds were WSW all day, light to 1100 and then 15-30 km/h for the rest of the day, and cloud cover was initially 100% stratus that produced light snow to 0830 and quickly thinned after 1000 to 50-10% cumulus to 1600 after which it was cloudless for the rest of the day. After two weeks of mainly upslope light winds, this afternoon’s conditions were ideal for raptor migration and produced a season-high count of 159 birds of 5 species that moved between 1257 and 1810. The count was a season-high 19 adult Bald Eagles, 2 adult Northern Goshawks, 1u light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 7 Rough-legged Hawks (6 light, 1 dark) and a season-high 130 Golden Eagles (127a, 2sa, 1j). Movement was very steady between 1300 and 1800 and produced hourly counts of 15, 34, 51 (1500-1600), 25 and 30, with only 3 birds seen after 1800.

10.33 hours (207.4) BAEA 19 (95), NOGO 2 (5), RTHA 1 (3), RLHA 7 (37), GOEA 130 (268) TOTAL 159 (409)

Monday, March 19 Steeples [Day 15] 1530-1900 (Vance Mattson). The temperature at 1530 was 8C which dropped to 5C by 1900. Conditions were calm and cloud cover was 80-100% cumulus, altostratus, altocumulus and stratus, and the ridges north of the site were obscured throughout. Migration was sparse with only 3 adult Bald Eagles and 5 adult Golden Eagles seen, with 5 of the birds recorded between 1730 and 1740. Resident activity, however, was again strong comprising 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 2j) that included a courtship flight, and a pair of Golden Eagles that displayed as Vance arrived at the site.

3.5 hours (67.5) BAEA 3 (92), GOEA 5 (445) TOTAL 8 (538)