RMERF counts, September 23

Sunday, September 23 Mount Lorette [Day 4] 0840-1945 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Lori Anderson). Valley fog persisted until 0900 when the temperature was 1C, the high was 10C at 1500 and it was 6C at the end of observation. Ground winds were 0-5 gusting 10 km/h all day with the exception of 1300-1400 when it gusted up to 25 km/h during rain showers; the ridges were calm to 1000, then W moderate to 1400, strong to 1700 and then moderate for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 50-70% cumulus with minor stratus and cirrus except at the end of the day when it was 100% cumulus and altostratus; locating conditions were very good throughout. The east was clear all day and the west was 20% obscured to 1300, 60% to 1800 after which it was clear. The conditions produced the first raptor movement of the season with 118 birds of 5 species moving between 1045 and 1930. The flight comprised 2 Ospreys, 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa), 6 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 3u), ), 2 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (1a, 1j), 2 unidentified dark morph Buteos, 100 Golden Eagles (65a, 14sa, 5j, 16u) and 2 unidentified eagles. All birds moved from Mount Lorette to the Fisher Range and there was little soaring flight. Movement was initially slow and by 1500 only 17 birds had been counted, but the pace then quickened and the next 3 hours produced 82 migrants of which 74 were Golden Eagles. Other birds seen were 1 Ruffed Grouse, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 4 Canada Jays, 8 Common Ravens, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 5 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 4 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 4 Mountain Bluebirds, 20 American Robins, 25 White-winged Crossbills, 15 Pine Siskins, 6 White-crowned Sparrows, 1 Song Sparrow and 1 Dark-eyed Junco. One Mourning Cloak butterfly was also seen, and a season-high 21 visitors were at the site today.

11.08 (32.33) OSPR 2 (2), BAEA 4 (4), SSHA 6 (6), RTHA 2 (2), UB 2 (3), GOEA 100 (100), UE 2 (2), TOTAL 118 (119)

Sunday, September 23 Vicki Ridge [Day 3] 0800-1830 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Trevor Lewis and Raymond Toal, observation from Waterton 61 wellsite). The temperature at 0800 was 6C, the high was 13 from 1300 to 1600 and it was 8C at 1830. Winds were W-WSW all day, 10-20 km/h in the morning that increased to 30-45 gusting to 55 km/h in the afternoon. Cloud cover was cumulus, altocumulus and cirrus all day, 80-90% to 0900, 40-70% to 1400, 30% 1500-1600 and after 1800 and 80% at 1700. There were a few light showers around noon and steady rain fell from 1645-1655 but otherwise it was mainly sunny and observing conditions were generally excellent and produced a season-high count of 105 raptors of 13 species. The count was 3 subadult Bald Eagles, 38 Sharp-shinned Hawks (14a, 2j, 22u), 5 Cooper’s Hawks (3a, 1j, 1u), 1 juvenile Northern Goshawk, 2 adult light morph Broad-winged Hawks, 12 Red-tailed Hawks (11 adult calurus: 10 light, 1 dark, and 1 dark bird of undetermined race or age), 1 light adult Ferruginous Hawk, the first Rough-legged Hawk of the season, a dark morph bird that was the last bird of the day at 1808, a season-high 37 Golden Eagles (20a, 7sa, 7j, 3u), 1 unidentified eagle, 1 female American Kestrel, 1 male columbarius Merlin, 1 adult female Peregrine Falcon and 1 Prairie Falcon. The first migrant was not seen until 0958, but subsequent movement was steady for most of the day and peaked at 19 birds between 1200 and 1300. Other birds recorded included 9 Northern Flickers (8 Red-shafted and 1 Yellow-shafted), 2 Pileated Woodpeckers, 1 Townsend’s Solitaire, 35 Mountain Bluebirds, 274 American Robins, 12 Red Crossbills and 56 Pine Siskins. Butterflies were 1 Western White and 1 Mourning Cloak.

10.5 hours (29.5) BAEA 3 (6), SSHA 38 (89), COHA 5 (18), NOGO 1 (7), BWHA 2 (4), RTHA 12 (27), FEHA 1 (2), RLHA 1 (1), GOEA 37 (54), UE 1 (1), AMKE 1 (1), MERL 1 (4), PEFA 1 (4), PRFA 1 (1) TOTAL 105 (228)

Sunday, September 23 Steeples [Day 4] 1200-1800 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 15C, winds were W-NW light to moderate and cloud cover was 70-100% cumulus that provided sunny periods. Despite the good conditions only 11 migrants of 4 species were counted between 1238 and 1729 that comprised 3 Bald Eagles (1a, 2j), 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 2u), 3 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2a, 1j) and 2 Golden Eagles (1a, 1j). Non-migratory birds were 1 Turkey Vulture, 4 Bald Eagles (1a, 3j), 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk and 3 Golden Eagles (2a, 1j), the latter involving interactions that produced barrel-rolls.

6 hours (18.5) BAEA 3 (6), SSHA 3 (19), RTHA 3 (32), GOEA 2 (5) TOTAL 11 (70)