Vicki Ridge and Steeples, October 15

Tuesday, October 15 Vicki Ridge [Day 23] 0830-1910 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson assisted by Marilyn and Gord Weber, observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen (1410-1850) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 0C, the high was 12C at 1700 and it was still 8C at 1910. Winds were SW-W all day, 10 km/h to 0930 and then 25-40 gusting 60 km/h for the rest of the day. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus (that formed a Chinook Arch), altocumulus, and cirrostratus to 1630 when the Arch began to slip to the east leaving 50-70% altostratus, lenticular, altocumulus and cirrus cover that produced particularly spectacular sky-forms after the sun set behind Kyllo Ridge to the west. Observing conditions were very good all day. The count from the Waterton 68 wellsite was 123 birds of 5 species between 0940 and 1858 that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1sa, 1j), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk that was the first migrant of the day, 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 3 Rough-legged Hawks (2 light, 1u), 115 Golden Eagles (102a, 2sa, 8j, 1u) and 1 unidentified eagle. Movement was initially very slow with only 22 birds moving before 1400, but then Golden Eagle migration quickly picked up with 70 birds counted between 1600 and 1800. At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge between 1418 and 1848 Gord counted 105 birds of 5 species that comprised 2 Bald Eagles (1a,1j), 2u Cooper’s Hawks, 1a Northern Goshawk, 7 light morph Rough-legged Hawks and 93 Golden Eagles (76a, 10sa, 6j, 1u). The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0940 and 1858 was 228 migrants of 7 species that comprised 4 Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa, 2j), 1u Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2u Cooper’s Hawks, 1a light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 10 Rough-legged Hawks (9 light, 1u), 208 Golden Eagles (178a, 12sa, 14j, 4u) ) and 1 unidentified eagle. The highest combined-site hourly count was 71 between 1700 and 1800 and 37 birds moved after 1800. Other birds seen were a flock of 50 Snow Geese that flew high to the ESE at 1602, 1a Northern Shrike, 1 Canada Jay, 2 Clark’s Nutcrackers, 1 Black-billed Magpie, 16 Common Ravens, 3 Pine Grosbeaks, 470 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 2 Dark-eyed [cismontanus] Juncos.

10.67 hours (217) BAEA 4 (108), SSHA 1 (379), COHA 2 (65), NOGO 1 (21), RTHA 1 (117), RLHA 10 (115), GOEA 208 (1557), UE 1 (14) TOTAL 228 (2461)

Tuesday, October 15 Steeples [Day 15] 1300-1700 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 11C, conditions were calm and 60-100% thin stratus cloud cover thickened as the day progressed. No migrants were seen but non-migratory birds were an adult Bald Eagle, an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, and an adult Golden Eagle that was seen perched on the ridge for 35 minutes.

4 hours (68) TOTAL 0 (281)