RMERF counts, March 25

Monday, March 25 Mount Lorette [Day 23] 0715-2015 (George Halmazna, assisted by Dan and Cindy Parliament). The temperature reached 10C at 1600 and 1700 from a morning low of -2C and was 3C at 2015. Ground winds were NW-W 0-2 km/h to 1100 after which they were SW for the rest of the day, mainly 5-10 km/h but 8-15 km/h between 1400 and 1700 and again 0-2 km/h after 1700, while ridge winds were SW light to moderate. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus with minor cumulus to 1000 that diminished to 30% cumulus at 1400 and 90% thin cirrostratus formed for the last 2 hours of observation. Location of high-flying birds in the blue sky was often challenging where cloud was absent and during the last 2 hours birds could only be aged when they flew against the face of Mount Lorette. The day produced a season-high count of 217 migrant raptors between 1101 and 1942 that comprised 6 Bald Eagles (5a, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk and a season-high 210 Golden Eagles (202a, 1sa, 5j, 2u). All birds moved high or very high on the eastern route above the Fisher Range ridge to Mount Lorette where a few birds soared. Migration was strong and steady throughout the migration period and peaked between 1800 and 1900 when 65 Golden Eagles were seen. Resident birds were 3 adult Bald Eagles, a pair and a single bird, and 1 adult Golden Eagle that flew south from Hummingbird Plume Hill to Olympic Summit at 1242. Other birds seen in the area were 2 Snow Geese that flew from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette at 1658, 2 Canada Geese, 25 adult white-headed gulls of unknown species that flew high to the north, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 2 Canada Jays, 19 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 2 Varied Thrushes, 3 American Robins, 1 American Dipper, 1 Lapland Longspur and 4 “Slate-coloured” morph Dark-eyed Juncos. Twenty-four visitors were at the site today.

12.92 (250.3) BAEA 6 (64), NOGO 1 (5), GOEA 210 (683) TOTAL 217 (763)

Monday, March 25 Beaver Mines [Day 23] 0730-2000 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The temperature at 0730 was -3C, the high was 10.5C at 1500 and it was 6C at 2000. Winds were W-WSW 20-40 gusting to 55 km/h to 1700 after which they were WNW15-25 km/h and became light after 1900. Yesterday’s fog persisted to 0730 when the top of the hill became visible but by 1800 it was completely clear. Cloud cover was 10-40% cumulus to 1300, 80-100% altostratus and cumulus to 1500, 20-60% altocumulus, cumulus and cirrostratus to 1800 and 100% cirrostratus for the rest of the day, all of which gave excellent observing conditions. There was a moderately strong raptor movement of 86 birds of 5 species between 0901 and 1859 which was the highest count so far this season. The flight comprised 20 Bald Eagles (15a, 3sa, 2j), 1 adult male Northern Harrier, a season-high 3 Northern Goshawks (1a, 2u), 1 adult dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawk and a season-high 61 adult Golden Eagles. Most birds soared high above the ridge, sometimes for extended periods, before gliding high to the N or NW. Movement was often sporadic with several raptor-free periods and the highest hourly count was 15 between 1100 and 1200 and again between 1400 and 1500. Ten Golden Eagles moved between 1806 and 1859. Other birds seen were 9 Canada Geese, 1 male Common Merganser that flew high to the NE at 1905. 27 Wild Turkeys, 12 Rock Pigeons, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 2 Blue Jays, 5 Black-billed Magpies, 7 American Crows, 55 Common Ravens 35 of which flew high to the SW to roost between 1700 and 1909, 3 American Robins, 50 European Starlings, 20 Evening Grosbeaks, 70 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches that flew high to the north in 2 flocks at 1217 and 1558, and 2 Pine Siskins.

12.5 hours (263) BAEA 20 (108), NOHA 1 (2) NOGO 3 (6), RTHA 1 (3), GOEA 61 (193) TOTAL 86 (325)

Monday, March 25 Steeples [Day 20] 1645-1845 (Vance Mattson). Teaching commitments again restricted observation to the late afternoon when the temperature was 12C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 80% thin altostratus, altocumulus and cirrus. A total of 9 Golden Eagles (6a, 2j, 1u) migrated between 1652 and 1718. A resident Golden Eagle soared low in the gap and a non-migrant juvenile Bald Eagle soared high over the ridge and then high over Mount Bill Nye to the south. It was rainy and overcast in the morning but the mountains were clear by 1300 so it is probable that several birds migrated before 1645.

2 hours (99) GOEA 9 (377) TOTAL 9 (553)