March 13 [Day 21] (Valley View site) After a low of -4C we finally went above freezing at 1100 and reached a high of 6C at 1600. Ground winds were variable but generally below 20km/h in the morning, but increased in the afternoon with gusts to 60 km/h making for much less pleasant observing conditions. Ridge winds were W mainly strong all day and a Chinook arch behind the Livingstone Range to noon and then 20-50% variable thin altostratus and cumulus cloud provided excellent viewing conditions all day. The first Golden Eagle appeared at 0751 followed by another at 0758, by far the earliest birds this season, and movement throughout the day was steady and remarkably even with the highest hourly count only 16 (1300-1400, 1400-1500 and 1800-1900). Migratory Golden Eagles occurred during every hour of observation with the last moving north at 1925. The last bird of the day, however, was the second of the day’s Rough-legged Hawks (the first this month) at 1931, the latest raptor seen so far this season. The Golden Eagle total of 111 is the highest so far and apart from 1 subadult bird all were adults. Bald Eagle numbers reached double figures for the first time since March 2 with 8 of the day’s 12 birds moving between 1816 and 1852. At 1112, three non-migratory Prairie Falcons were seen flying together and interacting over the Piitaistakis Ridge before flying south: they weren’t seen again. Canada Geese that flew high across the ridge to the east in 2 flocks (4 at 0954 and 20 at 1700) were probably migrants, as were 3 different Clark’s Nutcrackers that flew high to the north over the valley. 12.16 hours (218.9) BAEA 12 (107), NOGO 1 (6), RLHA 2 (7), GOEA 111 (486) TOTAL 126 (607)
It was even warmer at Mount Lorette where the temperature reached 8C from a low of 0C, ridge winds were W strong all day and an average of 30% cumulus cloud made detection of high flying eagles possible. Brian McBride counted a season high total of 30 Golden Eagles (29 adults and 1 subadult) between 1306 and 1900 with all the birds flying high and to the west of the Fisher Range ridge. 11.5 hours (114.2) BAEA 1 (9), GOEA 30 (83) TOTAL 31 (97)