March 28 [Day 34] (Valley View site) The day started with an un-forecasted 5 cm of fresh snow on the ground but the ridges had almost cleared by 0740. At 0810, however, everything was obscured and snow persisted to 1215 after which the ridges were clear by 1300 for the rest of the day, with the exception of a wet snow squall from 1635-55 and later brief flurries. The temperature ranged from -3C to 6C and winds were mainly light at ground level all day and light to moderate westerly on the ridges. Cloud cover was 100-80% mainly stratus and cumulus all day. Once the ridges cleared the first migratory Golden Eagle did not appear until 1417 but the rest of that hour yielded another 16 migrants. Movement, mainly of Golden Eagles, slowed over the next 2 hours but picked up again after the mid afternoon snow finished at 1655 with a further 29 migrants moving, the last being a juvenile Bald Eagle at 1901. A heavy snowfall warning has been issued for overnight and tomorrow so I might be able to catch up on some sleep. 12.16 hours (363.5) BAEA 3 (233), NOGO 2 (34), RTHA 1 (9), GOEA 48 (2109), TOTAL 54 (2418)
Mount Lorette (Bill Wilson) The snow at Mount Lorette fell only until 0800 and the rest of the day was clear with the temperature reaching a high of 5.5C from a low of -6.5C at 0640. Winds at the ridges were W light to moderate and cloud cover was generally 80-100% cumulus and stratus, although it briefly thinned to 30% cumulus at 1000. The first migrant raptor, a Golden Eagle, did not move until 1401 and when the last Golden Eagle was seen at 1932 only 12 eagles (4 Bald and 8 Golden) had been counted. The highlight of the day, however, was the season’s first Peregrine Falcon at 1908. 13.58 hours (270.9) BAEA 4 (31), GOEA 8 (628), PEFA 1 (1) TOTAL 13 (676)