October 20 [Day 55] (Valley View site) The temperature reached a high of 5.5C at 1600 from a low of 1C, ground winds were S-SW 0-5 km/h and ridge winds appeared to be light S, and cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus all day. Light rain fell to 0900, from 1235 to 1420, from 1510-1530 and after 1630 when it became moderate. All ridges were obscured until noon when some clearing occurred with the Livingstone Ridge briefly only having 20% cloud cover at 1500, but the stratus quickly lowered again and by 1700 the mountains were again hidden. Raptor movement was very sporadic during periods of reduced cloud cover and between rain episodes with 6 of the day’s 15 migrants moving between 1220 and 1239. The 5 Golden Eagles moving along the Livingstone Ridge often disappeared into cloud, and the last bird of the day was an adult grey morph Gyrfalcon at 1616. Migrating songbirds also took advantage of breaks in the weather with 145 American Robins, 111 European Starlings, 25 Bohemian Waxwings, 700 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches and 7 Pine Siskins moving. A Song Sparrow that stayed around the site all day was surprisingly the first to be seen for the count [species #162] and was the 102nd species for the season. 10.33 hours (649.88) BAEA 1 (107), NOHA 1 (92), SSHA 4 (965), GOEA 5 (2374), MERL 2 (28), GYRF 1 (5), UF 1 (3) TOTAL 15 (4473)
Mount Lorette [Day 28] (George Halmazna) Temperatures ranged from 1C to 4C, ground winds were N 0-8 km/h while ridge winds were calm in the morning becoming light NNE in the afternoon. Cloud cover was 100% stratus all day with the exception of 1300-1400 when it briefly cleared producing 30% blue sky over the valley. Ridges were obscured all day and drizzle until noon was replaced after 1600 by rain. Despite the weather there was some sporadic raptor movement above the valley with 16 of the day’s 27 migrants moving between 1400 and 1500 including all 4 Golden Eagles and all 6 Sharp-shinned Hawks. The flight was dominated, however, by 17 Bald Eagles (13 adults, 1 subadult and 3 juveniles) which is the highest count for the species so far this season. There was little passerine movement but a few water birds migrated including 2 Common Loons, 2 Canada Geese, 9 Common Goldeneye and a female Green-winged Teal. 10 hours (329.01) BAEA 17 (46), SSHA 6 (53), GOEA 4 (1583) TOTAL 27 (1767)