Thursday, September 26 Vicki Ridge [Day 7], Steeples [Day 2]

Thursday, September 26 Vicki Ridge [Day 7] 0815-1845 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge; 1400-1650 Raymond Toal observing at the mid-point of Kyllo Ridge, and 1325-1730 Gord Petersen at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). It was an unpleasant start to the day with a temperature at 0815 of 5C, WSW winds gusting over 70 km/h, 100% uniform stratus cloud cover and steady light rain. At 0940, however, the rain stopped and the sky rapidly cleared and was 20% cumulus at 1000 and was then sunny for the rest of the day. The temperature reached a high of 14C at 1400 and was 12C at 1700 but then dropped rapidly to 6C at 1800 and was 4C at 1845. Winds were W-SW 30-40 gusting 55 to 1700 when they shifted to E-NE and were mainly light. Cloud cover from 1000 to 1600 was 10-30% cumulus after which it quickly thickened to 70% cumulus for the rest of the day, and after the rain stopped observing conditions were excellent. The count on Vicki Ridge was 41 birds between 0945 and 1843 that comprised 1 Osprey, 2 subadult Bald Eagles, 11 Sharp-shinned Hawks (5a, 6u), 1 adult Cooper’s Hawk, 1 juvenile Northern Goshawk, 1 adult light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 12 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus light 5a, 1u; calurus dark 3a and 1 intermediate adult; 2 dark harlani 1a, 1j), 1j dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 8 Golden Eagles (5a, 1j, 2u), 1 female American Kestrel, 1 female columbarius Merlin and 1 large falcon that was probably a Prairie Falcon. Only 3 migrants were seen at the mid-ridge site: 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1a Golden Eagle and 1 female American Kestrel. The count of 42 birds at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge was 28 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 25u), 2u Cooper’s Hawks, 1a Northern Goshawk, 6 Red-tailed Hawks (calurus light 3a, 2j; harlani dark 1a), 4 Golden Eagles (1a, 3u) and 1 unidentified eagle. A late subadult Bald Eagle seen at 1550 flew to the ESE and was seen at 1558 at the Vicki Ridge site. Otherwise there appeared to be no duplication of records and the total movement observed across the ridge system was 86 migrants of 12 species that comprised 1 Osprey, 2 subadult  Bald Eagles, 40 Sharp-shinned Hawks (8a, 32u), 3 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 2u), 2 Northern Goshawks (1a, 1j), 1 adult light morph Broad-winged Hawk, 18 Red-tailed Hawks (15 calurus: 8a, 2j, 1u light morphs, 1 adult intermediate morph, 3a dark morphs, and 2a, 1j dark morph harlani), 1j dark morph Rough-legged Hawk, 13 Golden Eagles (7a, 1j, 5u), 1 unidentified eagle, 2 female American Kestrels, 1 female columbarius Merlin and 1 large falcon that was probably a Prairie Falcon. Other bird species were scarce and comprised 1a California Gull, 31 Common Ravens, 2 Mountain Bluebirds, 70 American Robins, 1 Cedar Waxwing and 20 Pine Siskins. A single Mourning Cloak butterfly was also on the wing. The area is currently under a winter storm watch and the forecast calls for rain on Friday and significant snowfall on Saturday, Sunday and Monday so the prospect of migration for the next four days is not good.

10.5 hours (75.08) OSPR 1 (4), BAEA 2 (13), SSHA 40 (226), COHA 3 (36), NOGO 2 (11), BWHA 1 (4), RTHA 18 (73), RLHA 1 (5), GOEA 13 (140), UE 1 (2), AMKE 2 (13), MERL 1 (5), UF 1 (1) TOTAL 86 (562)

Thursday, September 26 Steeples [Day 2] 1400-1745 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 16C, winds were calm to moderate S and cloud cover was initially 60% cumulus that reduced to 10% by 1530 before quickly increasing again to 40% for the remainder of the observation period. The only migrants seen were 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk and 1u American Kestrel. There was one sighting of the resident Golden Eagle pair that interacted at length over Mount Bill Nye.

3.75 hours (9) BAEA 1 (8), SSHA 1 (14), AMKE 1 TOTAL 3 [44]