October 15 [Day 50] (Valley View site) The temperature at 0715 was 5C, rose to 8.5C at 1200 and was still 5.5C at 1900. Ground winds ranged from W to N occasionally gusting 25 km/h while ridge winds were WNW moderate to strong all day. Cloud cover was 30-90% mixtures of cumulus, altocumulus, altostratus, cirrus and stratocumulus giving excellent observing conditions and although cloud drape lingered over the ridges until 1200 they were completely clear in the afternoon. Conditions were ideal for Golden Eagle flight and birds moved high above the Livingstone ridge in a steady stream between 0807 and 1855 with almost no breaks. Fourteen birds had moved south by 0900 and every hour between 1100 and 1900 had at least 20 birds with maximum passage of 41 between 1500 and 1600. The total of 268 Golden Eagles is the second highest of the season and comprised 218 adults, 27 subadults, 22 juveniles and 1 bird of unknown age. Only 5 other migrant raptors were seen including the season’s 3rd Gyrfalcon, an adult grey morph, at 1830. 12 hours (593.88) SSHA 2 (918), COHA 1 (289), NOGO 1 (97), GOEA 268 (1877), GYRF 1 (3) TOTAL 273 (3865)
Mount Lorette [Day 23] (Joel Duncan) The temperature rose from -2C to 8C at noon where it stayed until 1700, ground winds were SW generally light and ridge winds were moderate W, and cloud cover ranged from 80% cumulus and altostratus in the morning to 10% cirrus at 1900. All but 2 of the day’s 51 migrant raptors were Golden Eagles which moved from 0910 to 1757 with a maximum count of 14 between 1700 and 1800. The flight comprised 29 adults, 5 subadults, 5 juveniles and 10 birds of undetermined age. The only other migrants were a juvenile Northern Harrier and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk. Several of the non-raptor species observed yesterday were still present but a single American Coot was a first record for the season. 10.5 hours (274.09) NOHA 1 (5), RLHA 1 (9), GOEA 49 (1383) TOTAL 51 (1524)

October 14 [Day 49] (Valley View site) The starting temperature was -6C but rose to 7C at 1500 before falling to 0C after 1800. Ground winds were light WSW to W all day and ridge winds were W light to moderate becoming moderate WNW after 1800. Cloud cover was 100% stratus, cumulus and stratocumulus all day except between 1500 and 1730 when it reduced to 90% allowing occasional sunny breaks. There was 8 cm of fresh snow on the ground at 0715 and light snow continued to fall until 0930, but during the rest of the day there were only occasional light snow flurries or rain showers. All ridges were obscured until 0830 when they substantially cleared but variably retained 10-20% cloud cover throughout the day and the main Livingstone Range to the north remained substantially cloud covered all day. The first raptor migrant was a Merlin at 1018 and the first Golden Eagle moved south at 1116 after which they moved steadily until 1820 with 50 of the day’s 127 birds occurring between 1500 and 1700. Until noon the eagles moved very low, generally below ridge height, but during the afternoon they glided high often above cloud draping the ridge, or soared high on occasion being lost in cloud. The flight comprised 108 adults, 8 subadults, 10 juveniles and 1 bird of undetermined age. A juvenile Northern Harrier at 1118 raised the season’s record count to 90. A juvenile Northern Shrike was the 3rd record of the species this season, and the only obvious songbird migrants was a single flock of 21 southbound American Robins at 1205. 12 hours (581.88) NOHA 1 (90), NOGO 1 (96), RTHA 2 (181), GOEA 127 (1609), MERL 1 (26) TOTAL 132 (3592)
Mount Lorette [Day 22] (Peter Allen) The temperature rose to 2C from a low of -5C, ground winds were light and variable while ridge winds were SW light to moderate, and cloud cover was 100% stratus in the morning breaking up after noon to 30-40% altostratus and cirrus providing excellent observing conditions. Both E and W ridges were obscured until 1100 after which they cleared with occasional cloud drape for the rest of the day. The first migrant raptor was a Golden Eagle at 1056 but 22 of the total of 36 migrants moved between 1500 and 1715 with the last of the day’s 31 Golden Eagles moving at 1745. As yesterday most Golden Eagles flew low from Skogan Pass and had trouble finding lift with most moving below the top of the Fisher Range ridge. There was a good variety of non-raptor species including 3 Blue-winged Teal, 2 Killdeer, 1 Wilson’s Snipe, 1 Northern Shrike, 2 Song Sparrows, 4 Lincoln’s Sparrows, 2 White-crowned Sparrows, 50 Dark-eyed Juncos, 7 Rusty Blackbirds, 11 Red Crossbills and 3 White-winged Crossbills. 10.75 hours (263.59) BAEA 2 (25), NOHA 1 (4), NOGO 1 (18), GOEA 31 (1334), MERL 1 (4) TOTAL 36 (1473)

October 13 No observation possible (Valley View site) I spent 8 hours at the site hoping that ridges would clear but gave up at 1520 and when I checked again at 1730 nothing had changed. The temperature ranged from –9C to -6C, winds were mainly light WSW becoming NE 10-15 km/h at 1500, upper winds appeared to be N, low overcast cloud obscured all ridges and light snow persisted all day. On this date last year we counted 637 Golden Eagles and this year’s Golden Eagle count is now 1120 birds behind the 2006-8 average.
Mount Lorette [Day 21] (George Halmazna) The temperature ranged from -10C to -4C with N ground winds all day light in the morning but gusting to 25 km/h in the afternoon more than offsetting the effects of the “warming trend”. All ridges were obscured until 1100 and the west remained obscured all day but the east started to clear from the SSE but was never more than 40% clear and by 1600 all ridges were again obscured. Snow stopped around 1200 and restarted after 1530. Despite the unpromising conditions Golden Eagles started to move after 1120 and persisted until 1630 with 27 of the day’s 74 birds moving between 1300 and 1400. Most of the birds were flapping low below the cloud, moving from Skogan Pass to the eastern side of the Kananaskis Valley and thence to the SE following the Evan-Thomas Creek Valley. The age structure of the flight was 67 adults and 7 juveniles and for the last week the average count of juveniles at both sites has been around 10% which is significantly lower than during the same period last year. New bird species for the site this season were 7 Tundra Swans flying to the W and 4 Rusty Blackbirds: 3 males and a female, and the season’s second Pacific Loon flew to the SSW at 1320. 11.25 hours (252.84) GOEA 74 (1303) TOTAL 74 (1303)

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)

October 11 [Day 47] (Valley View site) It was a similar day to yesterday with the temperature briefly reaching -6C at 1200 from a start of -13C and falling to -12C at 1900. Ground winds were variable but generally light and the upper flow was light E all day. Cloud cover was 100% stratus until 1300 after which it began to slightly break reducing to 70% altocumulus and altostratus at 1900. There were a few light snow flurries in the morning but the ridges essentially remained clear all day. The first raptor was an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk at 0844 and the first Golden Eagle was at 1052 but they didn’t begin to move steadily until after 1130. Because of the light winds Golden Eagles moved to the south both on the Livingstone Ridge to the east and Bluff Mountain to the west and occasionally over the valley, and the flight peaked between 1400 and 1500 when 38 birds were seen. The last of the day’s 124 Golden Eagles (92a,8sa,15j,9u) went south at 1730. This is only the 3rd time this month that the Golden Eagle count has exceeded 100 birds and the species total is currently 728 birds below the 2006-8 cumulative average for this date. The only Red-tailed Hawk seen was an adult dark morph “Harlan’s Hawk” that soared low overhead much to the delight of the observers. 12 hours (557.88) BAEA 1 (79), NOHA 1 (89), SSHA 1 (916), NOGO 2 (95), RTHA 1 (175), GOEA 124 (1303) TOTAL 130 (3272)
Mount Lorette [Day 19] (Bill Wilson) The temperature rose to -6C from a low of -12C and fell to -10C by 1900. Ground winds were variable and light and ridge winds appeared to be light to moderate and mainly W. Cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus to 1100 after which it gradually cleared until it was cloudless by 1900. There was 10 cm of fresh snow on the ground and light snow persisted early in the morning. The western ridges were mainly obscured by cloud all day, and the Fisher Range to the east was variably obscured 10-30% for most of the day. It was a good day of raptor movement dominated by Golden Eagles that provided 236 of the day’s 248 migrants. The first bird seen was a Merlin at 0915 and the first Golden Eagle moved at 1055 with 191 of the Golden Eagles seen between 1300 and 1700, maximum passage being 61 from 1500-1600. The last Golden Eagle was a bird going to roost at 1829 and the last raptor of the day was the 7th Bald Eagle which is the highest count for the species so far this season. A female Red-breasted Merganser was only the second record for the site and a high-flying Pacific Loon was the first for the season. 11 hours (230.59) BAEA 7 (23), SSHA 1 (44), COHA 1 (10), NOGO 1 (17), GOEA 236 (1158), MERL 2 (3) TOTAL 248 (1292)

October 10 [Day 46] (Valley View site) It was another cold day starting at -12C at 0715, briefly rising to -6C at 1600 before falling to -11C at 1900. Ground winds were light all day mainly WSW and aloft were also light E until 1800 when they switched to N. Cloud cover was 100% stratus until 1830 when the cloud finally broke reducing to 60% altostratus at 1900. Light snow persisted until 1420, but the ridges were just visible and only became clear after the snow stopped. The only bird seen before noon was a very dark adult male Merlin that flew from the north and perched on a tree for 2 minutes before continuing south. The bird showed all the characters of F.c.suckleyi (“Black Merlin”), a subspecies normally confined to the Pacific coast, and is a new record for the count. Golden Eagles started to move in low numbers after 1200 while the snow was still falling, but increased significantly after it stopped at 1420, peaking at 20 birds between 1605 and 1632 after which migration suddenly ceased for the day. The 51 Golden Eagles counted comprised 25a, 9sa, 16j and 1u, and the only other raptors counted were 2 adult Bald Eagles and an adult female Northern Harrier. An American Three-toed Woodpecker flying high to the south at 1430 was the 99th bird species seen this season, and a Purple Finch (male) was only the second seen this season. 12 hours (545.88) BAEA 2 (78), NOHA 1 (88), GOEA 51 (1179) MERL 1 (25) TOTAL 55 (3142)
Mount Lorette [Day 18] (Ron Dutcher) Because of heavy ground fog in the valley Ron didn’t start the count until 1100 and watched from the parking lot of the Nakiska ski hill until 1600 in order to see above the fog, before going down to the Hostel Hill observation site for the rest of the day. The temperature high was -2C at 1300 and fell to -8C at 1800, and both ground and ridge winds were light all day, E to 1530 and subsequently W. Cloud cover was 100% until early afternoon after which a blue patch over the middle of the valley gradually expanded to cover 70% of the sky by late afternoon. The Fisher Range was not completely clear of cloud until 1600, but the first migrant Golden Eagle moved low to the south at 1540 and the last 6 of the day’s 32 birds were seen at 1810. There was little lift and most of the birds moved low against the Fisher Range ridge with much flapping. A flock of 45 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches was the first record of the species this season. 7.75 hours (219.59) GOEA 32 (924) TOTAL 32 (1044)

October 9 [Day 45] (Valley View site after 1100) After spending 1.5 hours (it normally takes 35-40 minutes) climbing to the ridge top in drifts often above my knees I found a temperature of -15C with E-SE winds up to 11 km/h and about 20 cm of fresh snow. By 1000 I was so cold that I decided to go down again, but not before finding fresh Cougar tracks just to the north of the site, the animal having recently crossed the ridge from west to east. The temperature at the Valley View site was a much more pleasant -9C, which rose to -6C at 1400 before falling to -13C at 1900 under a cloudless sky, and light snow persisted until 1330. Winds were light all day initially E and becoming SW-W after 1330, and cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus to1400 breaking up to 40-50% cumulus to1700 after which it was cloudless. The first raptor was a Rough-legged Hawk at 1228, and the first Golden Eagle was at 1304 but concerted movement didn’t begin until after 1400 peaking at 25 birds between 1600 and 1700 with the last of the day’s 48 Golden Eagles (32a,6sa,10j) moving at 1834. An Osprey at 1215, looking most incongruous flying against the snow covered mountains, raised the season’s record total to 48, and the 19 Bald Eagles (12a,5sa,2j) that moved between 1543 and 1809 was the highest count so far this season. At 1327 a smaller goose flying west above the Crowsnest Valley with 6 Canada Geese turned out to be a Greater White-fronted Goose [bird species # 95] which is a new species for the count [#160] and is also a bird that is not on the Crowsnest Pass checklist. More prosaically 4 south-bound European Starlings were the 96th species for the season, a Wilson’s Snipe flying high to the south over the valley was the 97th and represented a first fall record for the count, and a Steller’s Jay at 1757 was the 98th bird species seen so far. I shall probably continue to watch for the Valley View site until it warms up a bit! 11.75 hours (533.88) OSPR 1 (48), BAEA 19 (76), RTHA 1 (174), RLHA 3 (20), GOEA 48 (1128) TOTAL 72 (3087)
Mount Lorette [Day 17] (George Halmazna 0715-1300, Des Allen 1300-1915) The temperature at 0715 was -19C and dropped further to -21C before rising to -4C between 1300 and 1700 after which it fell to -11C at 1900 under a cloudless sky. Winds were variable and light all day, and cloud cover reached a maximum of 60% altostratus at 1000 reducing to 10% at 1400 and was cloudless after 1700. The first raptor of the day was a Northern Goshawk at 1156 but the first of the day’s 51 Golden Eagles wasn’t seen until 1405, they peaked at 17 between 1700 and 1800 and the last went south at 1820. Not only was the count of Golden Eagles close to that at P-SL but the age structure was also gratifyingly similar: 30a, 3sa, 7j and 11u. 12 hours (211.84) BAEA 1 (16), NOGO 1 (16), GOEA 51 (892) TOTAL 53 (1012)