October 6 [Day 42] The temperature rose to 5C from a low of 0C, but it felt much colder with NW to WNW winds gusting between 60 and 100 km/h for most of the day blowing snow from the 10 cm that fell on the ridge over the last two days. Cloud cover was a mixture of 40-100% altostratus, altocumulus, lenticular and cirrus giving an excellent observing backdrop throughout the day. There was steady raptor movement all day between 0848 and 1904 with 292 of the day’s 303 migrants being Golden Eagles (181a,34sa,67j,10u), with peak movement of 58 birds between1800 and 1900 when 56 Golden Eagles and the day’s only 2 Bald Eagles moved. Both the combined species and Golden Eagle totals are seasonal highs. There were few other birds on the ridge today but a flock of 40 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches were the first for the season [species #90] as was a juvenile Northern Shrike [#91]. At 1805 a flock of 12 Snow Geese [#92] flew high across the ridge towards the east, followed at 1832 by 19 more providing only the 3rd and 4th records for the site and the highest numbers ever recorded. After 1900 2 flocks of Canada Geese [#93] totaling 55 birds also flew high to the east, furnishing the latest seasonal first record for the species ever for the site. 12.5 hours (500.13) BAEA 2 (47), NOHA 1 (87), SSHA 6 (906), COHA 1 (282), NOGO 1 (91), GOEA 292 (969) TOTAL 303 (2856)
Mount Lorette [Day 14] (George Halmazna) The temperature rose from a low of -3C to a high of 10C and fell back to 5C at 1900. Ground winds were light to 1100 then variable S to NW 10-15 gusting 40 km/h while ridge winds were SW moderate to strong switching to NW after 1600. Cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus clearing from 1400-1530 to 40% cumulus and cirrus before subsequently thickening again to 100% stratus bringing snow to the west and rain to the site, and partially occluding the ridges late in the day. Golden Eagles also moved strongly here with a season high 421 birds migrating between 0805 and 1820 with a peak movement of 79 birds from 1000 to1100. By noon 205 Golden Eagles had moved south and although the pace dropped slightly in the afternoon movement remained steady. Many of the birds flew very high and were silhouettes against the sky so a high percentage of birds went unaged. 12.5 hours (182.17) OSPR 1 (4), BAEA 4 (15), SSHA 3 (42), COHA 1 (8), NOGO 2 (15), RLHA 1 (6), GOEA 421 (834) TOTAL 432 (948)