Vicki Ridge and Steeples, November 13

Wednesday, November 13 Vicki Ridge [Day 52] 0730-1730 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson,  observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen  (1235-1703) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0730 was 0.5C the high at 1300 and 1400 was 5.5C and it was 1C at the end of observation. Winds were W all day, 25-35 gusting 45 km/h and cloud cover was 70-50%  altocumulus to 0900 that reduced to 10% at 0930 and was subsequently cloudless for the rest of the day with trace amounts of cirrus to the west after 1600. The count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 23 birds of 4 species between 1116 and 1700 that comprised 11 Bald Eagles (8a, 2sa2, 1j), 1 juvenile Northern Goshawk, 7 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 4a Golden Eagles. At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge Gord counted 20 birds of 5 species between 1237 and 1659 that comprised 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 1sa, 1u), 2 Northern Goshawks (1a, 1u), 5 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 5 Golden Eagles (2a, 3u), 1 unidentified eagle and 1a female Peregrine Falcon. The total movement observed across the ridge system between 1116 and 1700 was 43 migrants of 5 species that comprised 17 Bald Eagles (12a, 2sa2, 1sa, 1j, 1u), 3 Northern Goshawks (1a, 1j, 1u), 12 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 9 Golden Eagles (6a, 3u), 1 unidentified eagle and 1a female Peregrine Falcon. The highest combined-site hourly count was 16 between 1400 and 1500. Other birds were 1u Northern [Red-shafted] Flicker that flew south at 1120, 2 Canada Jays, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 87 Common Ravens, 60 Bohemian Waxwings, 130 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 10 Common Redpolls or Pine Siskins and 2 Pine Siskins.

10 hours (462.5) BAEA 17 (410), NOGO 3 (94), RLHA 12 (452), GOEA 9 (2757), UE 1 (25), PEFA 1 (13) TOTAL 43 (4587)

Wednesday, November 13 Steeples No observation: it was another heavily overcast day with all ridges obscured.