October 8 [Day 44] (Valley View site) The starting temperature was a season low -8C but it rose to 4C at 1600 before falling to -2C at 1700 after a cold front passed south at 1615. Ground winds were light variable, but ridge winds were WNW moderate to strong combing snow off the ridges until 1000, and cloud cover was 30-90% mainly altocumulus and altostratus giving excellent observing conditions until snow started and ridges rapidly became obscured after 1615. Raptor movement started early with the first Golden Eagle gliding south at 0732 followed 8 minutes later by 2 large falcons that were silhouetted against the early dawn light. The 4th bird, however, did not appear until 0939 and by noon only 15 birds had been recorded. The pace increased after 1200 with 30 more birds moving before 1400, 31 between 1400 and 1500 and 43 between 1500 and 1600 of which 30 moved in the first 15 minutes of the hour. Birds were obviously moving high and fast ahead of the approaching cold front with the last Golden Eagle moving south at 1611 just before the snow started. The flight of 121 birds was dominated by Golden Eagles (89: 50a,7sa,25j,7u) but there was a fair scattering of 7 other raptor species including the 5th latest Osprey recorded at the site raising the season’s record to 47, and the highest Rough-legged Hawk count (5) so far this season. 10 hours (522.13) OSPR 1 (47), BAEA 10 (57), SSHA 4 (915), COHA 6 (288), NOGO 1 (93), RTHA 3 (173), RLHA 5 (17), GOEA 89 (1080), UF 2 (2) TOTAL 121 (3015)
Mount Lorette [Day 16] (Joel Duncan) Because of an unexpected work emergency Joel didn’t arrive at the site until 1100 when the temperature was -1C which subsequently reached a high of 1C. Winds were light S until 1300 when they switched to N gusting 20 km/h and increased to gusts of 40 km/h as the cold front arrived at 1430 bringing snow. Cloud cover averaged 50% altostratus and cumulus to 1300 after which it was 100% stratus which progressively lowered and obscured most of the ridges by 1400. Raptor movement comprised 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks and 6 Golden Eagles, the last of which moved south at 1355. When the snow started Joel moved north to shelter under the eaves of one of the pump houses that serve the adjacent ski hill, and as the falling snow thickened an adult Grizzly Bear walked past him just 5 m away without appearing to notice him. The combination of weather and bear immediately ended any thought of prolonging the count and all that remained was driving the accident strewn trans-Canada Highway in white-out conditions back to Calgary. It was one of those days! 6 hours (199.84) SSHA 1 (43), RLHA 2 (8), GOEA 6 (841) TOTAL 9 (954)