October 16 [Day 51] (Valley View site) It was another reasonably warm day with temperatures ranging from 4.5C to a high of 9C at 1400 which persisted to 1900 when it dropped to 8C. Ground winds were variable SW to N generally 5-15 km/h but occasionally gusting 40 km/h, while ridge winds were moderate to strong all day WNW to 1600 then W. Cloud cover ranged from 70-100% variously lenticular, altostratus, altocumulus, cumulus, stratocumulus, cirrostratus and cirrus, and the Livingstone Ridge to the north was heavily draped in cloud between 1300 and 1830 although this didn’t appear to affect the flow of raptors. Yesterday’s late movement led me to expect an early start today and this appeared to be the case with the first Golden Eagle moving at 0753. The second bird, however, did not appear until 1008 but subsequent movement was fairly steady for the rest of the day peaking at 33 between 1600 and 1700, with the last 2 Golden Eagles gliding high to the south at 1847. The flight comprised 122 adults, 13 subadults and 22 juvenile birds. The Golden Eagle recorded at 1645 brought the season’s combined species total to 4000, and 4 minutes later 3 Golden Eagles raised their season’s species total over 2000. There was also a reasonable scattering of other raptors with the highest Bald Eagle count (4) since October 9 and the highest Sharp-shinned Hawk (9) and Northern Goshawk (3) counts since October 1. 12 hours (605.88) BAEA 4 (86), SSHA 9 (927), NOGO 3 (100), RTHA 1 (182), RLHA 1 (22), GOEA 157 (2034) TOTAL 175 (4040)
Mount Lorette [Day 24] (George Halmazna) The temperature reached a high of 11C at 1500 from a low of -7C, falling to 7C at 1900. Ground winds were S generally around 10 km/h but occasionally gusting to 30 km/h, while ridge winds were SW moderate to strong until around 1530 when they became light to moderate. Cloud cover was 10-60% cirrostratus and altostratus to 1300 after which 100% stratocumulus developed that gradually thinned to 40% at 1900. The flight of 115 raptors was dominated by 111 Golden Eagles (94a,3sa,11j,3u) that moved between 0842 and 1637 with maximum movement of 22 birds between 1200 and 1300. Birds moved high above the Fisher Range ridge until 1500 with some disappearing into the base of clouds, but after the ridge winds abated birds moved above the valley to the west of the ridge. The only apparent songbird migrants were flocks of 30 and 16 Bohemian Waxwings flying south. 12 hours (286.09) NOGO 2 (20), RLHA 2 (11), GOEA 111 (1494) TOTAL 115 (1639)