RMERF counts, October 3

Wednesday, October 03 Mount Lorette [Day 12] 1045-1915 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Heinz Unger). Because of the poor state of the roads the observers did not arrive at the site until 1045, where they found 40 cm of fresh snow. The temperature was -7C but reached a high at 1500-1800 of 1C and was 0C at the end of observation. Ground winds were 0-5 km/h all day with the exception of 1500 when they were briefly S-SW gusting to 15 km/h, and ridge winds were S-SW light to moderate all day. Initial cloud cover was 10% cumulus that gradually increased throughout the day and reached 90% cumulus and cirrostratus at 1700. The Fisher Range was clear all day but Mount Lorette and Mount McGillivray were periodically shrouded in cloud for 20% of the day; the west was 80% obscured at the start and gradually cleared to 20% by the end of observation. The only migrant raptors seen were 8 Golden Eagles (4a, 2j, 2u) that moved between 1348 and 1825 with 4 moving between 1700 and 1800. One juvenile was seen to the west and the rest migrated high above the Fisher Range. Because of the thick snow cover most of the other birds species were seen along the river, the most unusual being a late-migrating Sora. Other birds were 1 Wilson’s Snipe, 1 Barred Owl heard at the end of the day, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Northern Shrike, 5 Common Ravens, 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 3 Hermit Thrushes, 8 Varied Thrushes, 4 American Robins, 2 White-winged Crossbills, 2 Pine Siskins, 1 Song Sparrow, 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows, 1 Savannah Sparrow, 1 Palm Warbler and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler. Two visitors made it to the site today.

8.5 hours (113.7) GOEA 8 (281) TOTAL 8 (388)

Wednesday, October 03 Vicki Ridge [Day 9] 0815-1745 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson). The heavy snow stopped overnight and I measured 54 cm of fresh snow at my house in Beaver Mines. Access to the usual observation sites at the southern end of Vicki Ridge was impossible so we watched from Township Road 6-5, the road to Lynx Creek and Carbondale, about 3 km west of Highway 507 where we could observe birds flying from the north to the southern end of Vicki Ridge. The location is about 4 km due north of the regular viewing sites on the ridge. Fortunately one vehicle had been along the road ahead of us, and much digging was required to get our car safely parked at the edge of the road. The starting temperature was -13C but under the influence of light W winds it rose to -6C by 0900. At noon the west winds ceased and light E winds prevailed for the rest of the day, although the W winds continued at ridge level. The temperature high was -1 C at 1600 and it was -2C at the end of observation. It was cloudless until 1200 when cumulus cloud began to form which gradually increased throughout the afternoon to 80-90% cumulus and cirrostratus by the end of the day that provided excellent viewing conditions. A total of 86 migrant raptors of 8 species were seen between 1005 and 1734 comprising 1 Osprey, 3 Bald Eagles (1sa, 2j), 39 Sharp-shinned Hawks (7a, 32u), 7 Cooper’s Hawk (1a, 6u), 1u Northern Goshawk, 21 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus 15: 10 light (8a, 2j), 4a dark; harlani 4a dark, and 2u dark morph birds of unknown race or age), 2 Rough-legged Hawks (1 light, 1 dark), 2 unidentified Buteos (1 light, 1 dark) and 10 Golden Eagles (3a, 2sa, 5j).

9.5 hours (80.75) OSPR 1 (6), BAEA 3 (22), SSHA 39 (328), COHA 7 (44), NOGO 1 (11), RTHA 21 (75), RLHA 2 (15), UB 2 (3), GOEA 10 (239) TOTAL 86 (812)

Wednesday, October 03 Steeples [Day 11] 1545-1745 (Vance Mattson). There was fresh snow on the ground, the temperature was 6C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 100% stratus and low cumulus that partially obscured the ridges and stretched across the valley to the west. Only one migrant was seen, a female American Kestrel that flapped south at 1639.

2 hours (41) AMKE 1 (2) TOTAL 1 (102)