Vicki Ridge and Steeples, October 20

Sunday, October 20 Vicki Ridge [Day 28] 0830-1845 (Peter Sherrington and Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite on the western flank of Vicki Ridge, and Gord Petersen (1330-1830) observing at the western edge of Kyllo Ridge at the Waterton 68 wellsite). The temperature at 0830 was 0C, the high was 5C at 1400 and 1500 and it was 1C at 1845. Winds were again WSW-W all day 10-15 km/h to 1000 then 30-40 gusting 50 km/h for the rest of the day. It was a mainly cloudy day with 60-100% altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus cloud to 1600 that produced periodic light snow flurries and one heavier snowfall between 1540 and 1600 that obscured the ridges. After 1600 cover was 100-80% mainly cirrostratus except around 1700 when dark cumulus cloud rapidly moved from the west and brought another brief snow shower. The count from the Waterton 61 wellsite was 103 birds of 9 species between 0845 and 1815 that comprised 10 Bald Eagles (6a, 1sa, 3j), 12 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 9u), 6 Northern Goshawks (5a, 1u), 1a dark morph Broad-winged Hawk, 2a dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawks, 12 Rough-legged Hawks (10 light, 2 dark), 58 Golden Eagles (50a, 2sa, 6j), 1a male columbarius Merlin that spectacularly scattered a flying flock of 60 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches over Vicki Ridge at 1737, and 1a male Peregrine Falcon. At the western edge of Kyllo Ridge between 1335 and 1827 Gord counted 59 birds of 6 species that comprised 10 Bald Eagles (4a, 3sa, 3j), 4u Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 3 Northern Goshawks (2a, 1u), 19 Rough-legged Hawks (15 light, 2 dark, 2u), 21 Golden Eagles (15a, 1sa, 2j, 3u) and 1 unidentified eagle. The total movement observed across the ridge system between 0845 and 1827 was 162 migrants of 10 species that comprised 20 Bald Eagles (10a, 4sa, 6j), 16 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 13u), 1u Cooper’s Hawk, 9 Northern Goshawks (7a, 2u), 1 dark morph Broad-winged Hawk, 2a dark morph harlani Red-tailed Hawks,   31 Rough-legged Hawks (25 light, 4 dark, 2u), 79 Golden Eagles (65a, 3sa, 8j, 3u), 1a male columbarius Merlin and 1a male Peregrine Falcon. The highest combined-site hourly count was 33 between 1400 and 1500. Other birds identified were 4 Black-billed Magpies, 60 Common Ravens and 535 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches.

10.25 hours (268.9) BAEA 20 (194), SSHA 16 (483), COHA 1 (78), NOGO 9 (43), BWHA 1 (13), RTHA 2 (130), RLHA 31 (311), GOEA 79 (2348), UE 1 (16), MERL 1 (15), PEFA 1 (9) TOTAL 162 (3704)

Sunday, October 20 Steeples [Day 20] 1200-1730 (Vance Mattson). The temperature rose to a high of 7C from 2C, winds were moderate S and then SE, and cloud cover was 60-100% altostratus and cumulus. There was a slow but steady eagle movement between 1304 and 1655 that comprised 7 Bald Eagles (5a, 2j) and 14 Golden Eagles (11a, 1sa, 1j, 1u). The hourly counts after 1300 were 5, 4, 5 and 7, and movement was generally at low altitude despite the ridges being clear all day. Non-migrants were 2 Bald Eagles (1a, 1j), 1a Sharp-shinned Hawk and 1a Golden Eagle.

5.5 hours (90.25) BAEA 7 (131), GOEA 15 (164) TOTAL 21 (393)