April 1 [Day 38] (Valley View site) There was 4 cm of fresh snow on the ground and the early temperature was -8C with light NE ground winds and light to moderate WSW ridge winds, and with 90% altostratus and cumulus cloud cover clearing to 20% at 0800 prospects looked good. However, this proved to be a cruel April Fools joke as snow started at 0910 and it continued to snow intermittently for the rest of the day with the ridges being variably occluded and often when they were clear snow made observation difficult. The temperature rose to 1C and afternoon winds were SW moderate to strong. Raptor movement was exceptionally sporadic with 9 of the day’s 12 migrants moving in a relatively clear period between 1320 and 1540 and the last bird was an unidentified eagle that disappeared into the snow at 1823. The highlight of the day was a single flock of 57 Trumpeter Swans, including 2 conspicuously dark juvenile birds, flying high over the Livingstone Range towards the east at 1102. 11.75 hours (403.5) NOGO 2 (50), RTHA 1 (16), GOEA 8 (2272), UE 1 (1) TOTAL 12 (2635)
Mount Lorette (Cliff Hansen) The weather was very changeable with mountains to the west and south obscured all day. The temperature rose to 0C from a low of -6C, ridge winds were SW moderate to strong and cloud cover was cumulus, altocumulus and stratus ranging from 20% early in the day to 100% for much of the rest of the day. It snowed between 1100 and 1400 with everything obscured, but the eastern ridges partially cleared in the afternoon although flurries persisted for the rest of the day. The first migrant, an adult Bald Eagle, did not appear until 1458 and the reminder of the day’s 17 migrants, 13 Golden Eagles and 3 more Bald Eagles, all moved between 1616 and 1911 with most seen 1700 to 1800 (7 Golden Eagles and 1 Bald Eagle). 11.75 hours (307.4) BAEA 4 (37), GOEA 13 (689) TOTAL 17 (745)