October 12 [Day 47] (Valley View site) The starting temperature at 0715 was a season low -21C warming to a high of -5C at 1400-1500 and falling to -11C at 1900. Ground winds were light and mainly SW to 1600 after which they were SE and SSE gusting to 16 km/h, and ridge winds were light to moderate E also becoming moderate SE after 1600. The day was cloudless resulting in very welcome sunshine until 1700 when 20% cumulus developed which thickened to 80% by 1900 with cloud spilling onto the ridges from the east and partially obscuring them. Because of the calm conditions the first migrant Golden Eagle was not seen until 1119 and at 1135 the second bird was the second latest Osprey ever recorded at the site which established a new record count for October of 4 birds as well as raising the seasonal record to 49. Golden Eagles started moving strongly after1228 and continued in an almost unbroken stream of 175 birds (or streams as again they moved to east and west as well as occasionally overhead) until 1641 after which only 2 more were seen with the last at 1708. The Golden Eagle flight comprised 129 adults, 17 subadults, 16 juveniles and 17 birds of unknown age. The last raptor of the day was the 4th Red-tailed Hawk (all light morph calurus) at 1740. A Northern Pygmy-Owl at 1045 and a female Evening Grosbeak at 1520 were both second records for the season. 12 hours (569.88) OSPR 1 (49), BAEA 3 (82), RTHA 4 (179), RLHA 1 (21), GOEA 179 (1482) TOTAL 188 (3460)
Mount Lorette [Day 20] (Cliff Hansen) The temperature rose to 5C from a low of -19.5C and fell to -8C at 1800. Ridge winds were light to moderate NW all day and cloud cover started at 60% altocumulus which diminished to 30% at 1100 before thickening gradually throughout the afternoon reaching 1005 stratus after 1600. Cloud started draping the Fisher Range at noon and by 1600 all ridges were obscured. Very light snow began to fall at 1400 becoming steady light snow by late afternoon. A total of 69 Golden Eagles moved, as at P-SL, to the east, west and overhead between 0945 and 1658, but the highlight of the day occurred at 1126 with the passage of the season’s first Broad-winged Hawk: a juvenile light morph. 11 hours (241.59) BWHA 1 (1), GOEA 69 (1229), UU 1 (2) TOTAL 71 (1363)