February 20 [Day 5] (Valley View site) Cloud cover was initially 100% stratocumulus from which very light snow fell until 0930, but then the cloud quickly broke up and thinned producing an afternoon of variable amounts of very thin cirrostratus which was generally sufficient to make for reasonably good observation conditions. Winds were light in the morning, initially ENE then backing to W and SW and freshening to moderate occasionally gusting to 18 km/h in the afternoon, and the temperature rose to 3.5C from a low of -10C. The light winds produced no raptors in the morning and the first migrant, a Golden Eagle, was not seen until 1205, and the second 2 Golden Eagles not until 1425. These were the only non-adult raptors seen all day: a subadult and the season’s first migrant juvenile. Movement then became steady with a further 19 migrants migrating north with a maximum movement of 7 birds (3 Bald Eagles, 1 Northern Goshawk and 3 Golden Eagles) from 1600 to 1700. The last migrant was a Golden Eagle at 1717 which is the latest seen so far this season. The total of 12 Golden Eagles represents the earliest ever two-figure count for the species on an RMERF count, the previous earliest being 10 birds counted on February 23 at Mount Lorette in 1999 and also last year at this site. The combined species count of 22 is the highest ever for a February RMERF count, beating the 20 counted on February 29 2000 at Mount Lorette. The resident pair of Golden Eagles was seen perched together on a snag near one of the nest sites at 1215. The male appeared to try to mount the female who was apparently having none of it and immediately flew away. 12.67 hours (50.42) BAEA 9 (29), NOGO 1 (2), GOEA 12 (31) TOTAL 22 (62)