Vicki Ridge and Steeples, November 07

Thursday, November 07 Vicki Ridge [Day 46] 0730-1730 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson,  observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen  (1308-1700) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0730 was -1.5C, the high at 1400 was 6C and it was 3C at 1730. Winds were W to 1500 and then mainly WNW, 30-40 gusting 50-60 km/h that decreased to 25 km/h after 1700. Cloud cover was altostratus, cirrostratus and altocumulus all day, 60% to 0830, 100% to 1600 and 30% after 1630, which gave good viewing conditions throughout. The count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 37 birds of 5 species between 0920 and 1628 that comprised 11 Bald Eagles (6a, 3sa2, 2j), 5 Northern Goshawks (4a, 1j), 3 Rough-legged Hawks (2 light, 1 dark), 17 Golden Eagles (14a, 1sa, 2j) and 1a male Peregrine Falcon. At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge Gord counted 27 birds of 3 species between 1308 and 1657 that comprised 6 Bald Eagles (5a, 1u), 9 Rough-legged Hawks (6 light, 3u), 10 Golden Eagles (5a, 1j, 4u) and 2 unidentified eagles. The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0920 and 1657 was 64 migrants of 5 species that comprised 17 Bald Eagles (11a, 3sa2, 2j, 1u), 5 Northern Goshawks (4a, 1j), 12 Rough-legged Hawks (8 light, 1 dark, 3u), 27 Golden Eagles (19a, 1sa, 3j, 4u), 2 unidentified eagles and 1a male Peregrine Falcon. The highest combined-site hourly counts were 14 between 1400 and 1500 and 12 between 1600 and 1700. The only other birds seen were 5 Black-billed Magpies, 55 Common Ravens and 115 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches in 3 flocks.

10 hours (417.5) BAEA 17 (322), NOGO 5 (81), RLHA 12 (432), GOEA 27 (2715), UE 2 (21), PEFA 1 (12) TOTAL 64 (4418)

Thursday, November 07 Steeples [Day 32] 1300-1630 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 1C, it was calm and cloud cover was 40-50% thin altostratus and altocumulus that gave sunny conditions. The only migrant was an adult Bald Eagle, and a resident juvenile Golden Eagle was also seen.

3.5 hours (137.3) BAEA 1 (155) TOTAL 1 (448)