October 31 [Day 66] (Valley View site) The temperature only varied between 5.5C and 8C all day as strong W-WSW winds prevailed that gusted to 80 km/h at ground level and were considerably stronger on the ridges. Cloud cover ranged from 40-100% cumulus and stratocumulus and rain and hail showers, sometimes heavy and prolonged, persisted until 1430 although the Livingstone ridge remained mainly clear all day. The first Golden Eagle moved at 0925 and 8 more were recorded before 1000 but the next four hours when the rain was heaviest yielded only 12 birds. Movement between 1400 and the last bird at 1802 was a little more sustained and included a late movement of 8 Bald Eagles, but the final total was only 68 of which 59 were Golden Eagles (43a,6sa,10j). 10.92 (772.04) BAEA 8 (271), NOGO 1 (122), GOEA 59 (3728) TOTAL 68 (6103)
October Summary It was a month of unprecedented adverse weather which necessitated the abandonment of the Piitaistakis Ridge on October 3. Two full days were lost to weather and 2 more were severely curtailed, while raptor movement on several other days was confined to only a few hours. The total of 29 days spent in the field was 1.14% below the 2006-8 average while the 314 hours was 5.53% below average. The combined species count of 3825 was 23.57% below average, and the only species recording record counts for the month were Osprey (4: +100%), Northern Harrier (11: +37.5%) and Gyrfalcon (6: +200%). Peregrine Falcon (6: +5.88%) was the only other species to occur in above average numbers, while the single American Kestrel was an average count for the month. All other species occurred in below average numbers: Prairie Falcon (1: -86.4%), Northern Goshawk (35: -68.8%), Sharp-shinned Hawk (184: -65.8%), Merlin (8: -55.6%), Rough-legged Hawk (43: -44.4%), Cooper’s Hawk (25: -42.3%), Red-tailed Hawk (35: -40%), Golden Eagle (3216: -16.76%) and Bald Eagle (239: -1.38%). As of October 31 the combined species count of 6103 was 987 below the average count for the date at the site, while the 3728 Golden Eagles was 816 below average.
Mount Lorette [Day 38] (Ron Dutcher) It also rained at Lorette until noon after which 100% stratocumulus gave way to as little as 40% cumulus and stratocumulus with the Fisher Range clear for most of the afternoon. Temperatures ranged from 7C to 9C, ground winds were S to W gusting to 60 km/h and ridge winds were strong W all day. The only migrant raptor seen was an adult Bald Eagle at 1524. 10.25 hours (440.41) BAEA 1 (87) total 1 (2428)

October 30 [Day 65] (Valley View site) It was a reasonably pleasant day (which have been rare this October) with the temperature 2C at 0800 reaching 7C at 1200 where it stayed for the rest of the day. Ground winds were variable but mainly NE to NW occasionally gusting 60 km/h but mainly 5-15 km/h, and ridge winds were strong WNW all day. Cloud cover was 80-100% mainly cumulus, altostratus and lenticular giving good to excellent observing conditions. Raptor movement was the strongest since October 24 with a total of 138 birds moving steadily and high above the Livingstone ridge between 0841 and 1822 with maximum movement of 21 birds 1200-1300 and 1300-1400. Golden Eagles dominated the flight with 122 birds comprising 94 adults, 10 subadults, 15 juveniles and 3 birds of unknown age, and 11 Bald Eagles comprised 6 adults, 1 subadult and 4 juveniles. Highlights were the season’s 6th Gyrfalcon at 1223 (a grey morph of undetermined age) and an adult Peregrine Falcon at 1520 which raised the reason’s record count to 47. 11 hours (761.12) BAEA 11 (263), NOGO 3 (121), GOEA 122 (3669), GYRF 1 (6), PEFA 1 (47) TOTAL 138 (6035)
Mount Lorette [Day 37] (Michael Woertman (to 1500) and Cliff Hansen (after 1500)) Conditions were similar to those at P-SL with the temperature rising to 9C at 1700 from a low of 0C and it was still 8C at 1845, ground winds were SW 5-10 gusting 30 km/h, ridge winds were strong SW-W all day and cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus, cumulus, altocumulus and lenticular. A total of 35 raptors migrated between 0801 and 1733 with peak movement of 13 birds between 1000 and 1100. The flight was dominated by 28 Golden Eagles, 20 of which moved before noon. 11 hours (430.16) BAEA 2 (86), SSHA 1 (57), NOGO 4 (24), GOEA 28 (2187) TOTAL 35 (2427)

October 29 [Day 64] (Valley View site) Temperatures ranged from -7C to 0C, ground winds were light variable until 1400 when they became mainly N-NNE gusting to 60 km/h and ridge winds were mainly WNW also becoming strong after 1400 resulting in spectacular displays of blowing snow. Cloud cover was 70% cumulus at 0800 but quickly thickened to 100% altostratus and cumulus for the rest of the day producing very gloomy conditions. Raptor movement was slow and sporadic between 0854 and 1529, with only a juvenile Bald Eagle seen subsequently at 1649 as the very high winds and blowing snow appeared to stop all movement. The flight was dominated by 22 Golden Eagles: 14adults, 1subadult, 5 juveniles and 32 birds of undetermined age. A single Common Redpoll was the 105th bird species for the season.11 hours (750.12) BAEA 5 (252), NOGO 1 (118), RLHA 1 (49), GOEA 22 (3547) TOTAL 29 (5897)
Mount Lorette [Day 37] (Joel Duncan) The temperature rose to 1C from a low of -4C, ground winds were SW gusting to 30 km/h after 1330 and SW ridge winds also became strong after 1300. 100% altostratus cloud also gave gloomy conditions until 1700 when a small break to the west allowed a welcome but brief burst of sunshine. The total of 24 migrant raptors recorded between 0948 and 1522 included 22 Golden Eagles (16a,2sa,4u), and as at P-SL movement slowed and then stopped when strong ridge winds developed. 10 hours (419.16) BAEA 1 (84), GOEA 22 (2159), UE 1 (1) TOTAL 24 (2392)

October 28 [Day 63] (Valley View and North Burmis sites) There was a further 10 cm of fresh snow on the ground and -3C, but the Livingstone Ridge was almost clear at 0745 and prospects for movement appeared good. At 0840, however, snow began that became heavy after 0910 and by the time it had stopped a further 5 cm had accumulated. Both ground and ridge winds were light all day from the W and the Livingstone Ridge was not fully clear of cloud until after 1545. Cloud cover was mainly 100% stratus all day and the temperature briefly rose to 2C at 1400, falling back to -3C by 1845. Because of the light winds and low cloud cover I asked Dawn, and later Phil, to watch from the eastern side of the ridge where between 1322 and 1606 they counted 37 migrant raptors, 35 of which occurred before 1522. As the Livingstone Range cleared raptors started moving strongly along the ridge visible from the west and after 1522 only 2 more birds were seen from the North Burmis (eastern site). A total of 62 birds was recorded from the Valley View site and the day’s combined total was 99. The first migrant was the season’s 96th Northern Harrier seen from the Valley View site at 1306, and birds moved until the last 3 of the day’s 20 Bald Eagles (15a,2sa,3j) went south at 1810. The total of 69 Golden Eagles comprised 45 adults, 12 subadults, 6 juveniles and 6 birds of unknown age. 11 hours BAEA 20 (247), NOHA 1 (96), RLHA 5 (48), UB 2 (7), GOEA 69 (3525), UE 2 (4) TOTAL 99 (5968)
Mount Lorette [Day 36] (Peter Allen) Because of illness Peter did not arrive at the site until 1430 when the temperature was -2C which then gradually dropped to -4C by 1850. Ground winds were variable and ridge winds SW but both were light, and cloud cover was initially 70% stratocumulus becoming 100 stratus after 1500, but the Fisher Range remained clear all day. The only migrant raptor seen was an adult Bald Eagle at 1732. 4.33 hours (409.16) BAEA 1 (83) TOTAL 1 (2368)

October 27 [Day 62] (Valley View site) There was 8 cm of fresh snow on the ground at 0745 and steady snow continued to 1200 bringing a further 4cm. Flurries continued after 1200 but the ridges began to clear after 1300 as SW winds to 20 km/h developed, raising the temperature briefly to 4C from the low of -1C. The ridges never fully cleared and at 1545 the wind changed to NNE bringing more snow that became heavy after 1700 again completely obscuring the ridges and dumping another 7 cm of snow by 1800. The period of partial clearing saw a movement of 16 raptors between 1308 and 1528, with birds moving south from Bluff Mountain after 1500 as the Livingstone Ridge again became obscured by cloud. Three female Cassin’s Finches were the first recorded since September 21. 10.33 hours (728.12) NOGO 2 (117), GOEA 14 (3456) TOTAL 16 (5769)
Mount Lorette [Day 35] (George Halmazna) Weather conditions at Lorette were much more conducive to raptor migration with the temperature ranging from -1C to 4C, light ground winds and moderate SW winds on the ridges that changed to N after 1500 bringing low cloud that obscured what had hitherto been a mainly clear Fisher Range ridge. Cloud cover was 80-100% stratus all day and although there was 40 cm of fresh snow on the ground at 0745 the rest of the day was snow-free until flurries developed after 1500. Both the first and last migrant raptors of the day were Rough-legged Hawks at 1004 and 1447 respectively, but the bulk of the day’s 113 migrants were Golden Eagles (104: 89a,15j), 43 of which moved between 1300 and 1400. The highlight of the day was a grey morph Gyrfalcon which was the first recorded at the site this season. 10.5 hours (404.83) BAEA 4 (82), SSHA 1 (56), RLHA 3 (16), GOEA 104 (2137), GYRF 1 (1) TOTAL 113 (2367)

October 26 [Day 61] (Valley View site) The temperature was 3C at 0800 and rose to 4C at 1000 before falling to 1C throughout the afternoon. Ground winds were variable gusting to 50 km/h and ridge winds were strong WNW until 1020 when steady wet snow/sleet started to fall obscuring all ridges until 1735 when snow changed to drizzle and the Piitaistakis Ridge partially cleared. Between 0837 and 0932 2 Rough-legged Hawks and 5 Golden Eagles flew south being buffeted in the high winds and that proved to be it for the day. 10.5 hours (717.79) RLHA 2 (43), GOEA 5 (3442) TOTAL 7 (5753)
Mount Lorette [Day 34] (Cliff Hansen) The temperature rose to 4C at 1000 from a low of 3C falling to 2C at 1800. Ground winds were light SW-W (and occasionally E) while ridge winds were moderate to strong W-SW diminishing in the afternoon and becoming S, and cloud cover was 100% altostratus and cumulus all day. The Fisher Range was variably draped in cloud but only became fully obscured around 1800 when sleet began to fall. The raptor flight comprised 29 Golden Eagles that migrated between 0918 and 1618 with peak movement of 7 between 1200 and 1300. 10 hours (394.33) GOEA 29 (2033) TOTAL 29 (2254)

October 25 [Day 60] (Valley View site) The temperature ranged from -4.5C to 6C but variable ground winds gusting to 40 km/h made observation uncomfortable. Ridge winds were WNW moderate to strong, and it was cloudless until 1200 but by 1300 there was 100% altostratus which gradually thickened throughout the afternoon. Raptor migration was slow in the morning with the first Golden Eagle appearing at 0836 and by noon only 13 birds had moved. Things improved in the afternoon with another 54 birds recorded before 1600 after which things slowed down considerably with only 9 more birds seen, the last of which was at 1712. Of the day’s 76 migrant raptors 67 were Golden Eagles (55a,6sa,6j) and a further 7 were Bald Eagles (4a,1sa,2j). A single Cooper’s Hawk brought the season’s total to 300 for the first time ever on a RMERF count. 11.16 hours (707.29) BAEA 7 (227), COHA 1 (300), RLHA 1 (41), GOEA 67 (3437) TOTAL 76 (5746)
Mount Lorette [Day 33] (Bill Wilson) Temperatures ranged from -9C to 7C, ground winds were light SE-SSW occasionally gusting to 20 km/h while ridge winds were W moderate, and cloud cover was similar to that at P-SL: cloudless to 1100 and 100% altostratus after 1200. The first Golden Eagles were seen at 0828 and 0831 but the 3rd didn’t appear until 1204 after which movement was fairly steady peaking at 15 (4 Bald and 11 Golden Eagles) between 1500 and 1600 with the last Golden Eagle recorded at 1738. The total flight of 47 birds comprised 9 Bald Eagles and 38 Golden Eagles. 11.16 hours (384.33) BAEA 9 (78), GOEA 38 (2004) TOTAL 47 (2225)