September 30 [Day 11] (Peter Sherrington) The temperature was -8C at 0800, reached a high of 15C between 1500 and 1730 and was still 12C at 1900. Ground winds were calm to 3km/h until 1240 when they changed to N-ENE generally 10-15 gusting 20 km/h for the rest of the day. Ridge winds were N all day gusting to 50 km/h to 0900 and then light to light-moderate for the rest of the day. There was not even the trace of a cloud all day and the blue-out conditions made detection of migrant raptors difficult. Movement before 1400 was mainly above the western ridges, and in the afternoon mainly along the Fisher Range to the east, but several birds moved above the valley and birds could turn up anywhere at any time. A total of 91 migrant raptors of a season-high 9 species moved between 0949 and 1840 with 40 of the birds moving between 1300 and 1500. The flight included the season’s first Ferruginous Hawk, a light morph adult, at 1145 and the first Rough-legged Hawk at 1549. Four species had their strongest movement so far this season: 20 Bald Eagles (12 adults, 5 subadults and 3 juveniles), 13 Sharp-shinned Hawks (3a, 1j, 9u), 6 Northern Goshawks (4a, 1j, 1u) and 14 Red-tailed Hawks, 9 of which were light calurus (7a, 1j, 1u), 4 dark calurus (2a, 1j, 1u) and 1 bird was of unknown race, age or morph. The 30 Golden Eagles comprised 15 adults, 6 subadults, 6 juveniles and 3 birds of unknown age. Much kudos is due to Joan, Ed and Chris for helping find the birds against a pure blue backdrop. 11.83 hours (117.42) BAEA 20 (30), NOHA 1 (2), SSHA 13 (34), COHA 1 (4), NOGO 6 (10), UA 2 (3), RTHA 14 (22), FEHA 1 (1), RLHA 1 (1), GOEA 30 (223), UU 2 (2)

September 29 [Day 10] (Terry Waters) The strong winds of the last six day finally subsided, and ground winds were generally calm to light all day switching from W to NE after 1400. Ridge winds were variable and moderate to 1400 when they became NNE and N after 1700 with a maximum gust of 45 km/h. The temperature was -2C at the start but rose to 21C at 1700 before rapidly falling to 9C at 1900 after the sun dipped behind the mountains to the west. It was almost cloudless to noon after which 10-20% cirrocumulus developed reaching 40% late in the day. The first migrant raptor, a juvenile Golden Eagle, moved from Mount Lorette to the Fisher Range at 1045, but all other 29 Golden Eagles appeared low at the northern end of the Fisher Range and hugged the ridge as they moved south. The Golden Eagle flight comprised 15 adults, 8 subadults and 7 juveniles, and the only other raptors recorded were 2 adult Bald Eagles, and single Sharp-shinned Hawk (un-aged), Cooper’s Hawk (adult) and Northern Goshawk (adult). There was little passerine movement, but the highlight of the day was a single Greater White-fronted Goose that flew high to the south above the valley at 1625 to provide the first ever record for the site and the 246th species recorded there.
12.5 hours (105.59) BAEA 2 (10), SSHA 1 (21), COHA 1 (3), NOGO 1 (4), GOEA 30 (193) TOTAL 35 (246)

September 28 [Day 9] (Cliff Hansen) The temperature was 16C at 0800 rising to 18C at noon with W winds 5-10 gusting 20 km/h and 90% altocumulus cloud cover. At 1230 a passing disturbance changed the wind direction to NE 10-20 gusting 30 km/h, reduced the temperature to 9C by 1300 at which time rain started to fall under 100% low stratus cloud cover. Cliff left the site at 1430 as the rain became heavy, but returned to the Mount Allan Viewpoint at 1645 as the ridges were beginning to clear. By 1700 the temperature had risen to 16C, winds were variable and the ridges had again more or less cleared. Ridge winds were SSW strong gusting to 110 km/h in the morning, becoming variable, moderate gusting to 90 km/h to 1700 after which they became SW strong gusting to 120 km/h. The only raptors seen before the rain started were single non-migratory Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, and the first migrant Golden Eagle was not seen until 1720. A further 6 Golden Eagles moved before 1830 with the flight of 9 birds comprising 5 adults and 4 birds of undetermined age. Songbirds were quite sparse and included 80 Pine Siskins, 17 American Robins and single Yellow-rumped Warbler, Savannah Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco, but a single Red Admiral butterfly was the first seen at the site in a while. 9.08 hours (93.09) GOEA 9 (163) TOTAL 9 (211)

September 27 [Day 8] (Joel Duncan) The Environment Canada weather station on the Nakiska Ridgetop to the west of the site recorded SW winds all day rarely dropping below 100 km/h, gusting between 120 and 165 km/h and peaking at 195 km/h and 193 km/h at 1200 and 1600 respectively. Wind velocities may well have been even higher on the Fisher Ranger ridge to the east! Ground winds were SW mainly 20-30 gusting 60 km/h, and cloud cover was 10-30% altocumulus giving sunny skies all day. The temperature was 15C at 0900, rose to 21C between 1400 and 1700 and was still 18C at 1900. Not surprisingly there was no obvious movement of raptors but an adult dark morph “Harlan’s Hawk” hunting above Hummingbird Plume Hill at 1116 was the first seen at the site this season and was regarded as a migrant. After drawing a blank at the Hay Meadow site, at 1615 Joel left for the Lusk Creek site to see if birds were being blown to the east, but although the wind was lighter no migrant birds were seen. Despite the winds a reasonable number of songbirds were seen including 25 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 2 White-winged Crossbills, 21 Pine Siskins, 20 Yellow-rumped Warblers and a White-breasted Nuthatch, and a female or juvenile Harlequin Duck was on the Kananaskis River. 10.25 hours (84.01) RTHA 1 (8) TOTAL 1 (202)

September 26 [Day 7] (Bill Wilson) The temperature was already 14.5C at 0700 and reached a high of 17C before dropping to the day’s low of 12.5C at 1900, ground winds were SSW 10-20 gusting 30 km/h and ridge winds were also SSW moderate to strong. Cloud cover was 70-100% altostratus and cumulus, thickest to the west, which produced occasional very light rain showers. A total of 25 migrant raptors moved in a pattern similar to yesterday between 0906 and 1854, a Golden Eagle that was still moving south at 1900. The flight comprised 2 Ospreys (the first of the season), 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Northern Goshawk, 20 Golden Eagles (8a, 2sa, 6j, 4u) and the season’s first American Kestrel, a female. Once again there was a good variety and numbers of non-raptors around the site including 150 Bohemian Waxwings flying south, 15 Red Crossbills, 9 White-winged Crossbills, 25 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 35 American Robins, 13 Yellow-rumped Warblers, while a flock of 15 Canada Geese flew high above the valley towards the south. Visitors were again plentiful with a total of 30 at the site today. 12.67 hours (73.76) OSPR 2 (2), SSHA 2 (20), NOGO 1 (3), GOEA 20 (154), AMKE 1 (1) TOTAL 26 (201)

September 25 [Day 6] (Jim Davis) Winds were again SW strong all day at ridge level and even gusting to 60 km/h on the valley floor. The temperature was 13C at 0700 and rose to 24C at 1300 and was still 18C at 1830, cloud cover was cirrostratus with minor cumulus to 1400, after which 5-30% altostratus formed an arch over the Fisher Range. Again migrant eagles moved from Heart Mountain to the south behind the Fisher range, and most were very high. A total of 26 migrants moved between 0840 and 1854 with a peak of 8 birds between 1200 and 1300: Bald Eagle 3 adults, 8 un-aged Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 1 unidentified small Accipiter, 1 juvenile light calurus Red-tailed Hawk, 11 Golden Eagles (6a, 1j, 4u) and the season’s first Prairie Falcon. The warm weather produced a season high total of 49 visitors to the site who were of assistance in locating high-flying birds. There were also good numbers of non-raptors at the site including 43 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Townsend’s Warbler, 65 Pine Siskins and a season first Common Redpoll, but the highlight was a single Black Swift seen on three occasions. It is interesting to note that when we visited the site after a pre-migration workshop on the afternoon of September 12 Black Swifts were feeding above the Kananaskis River all the time that we were there (2.33 hours), the highest count at one time being 37 birds which was probably the biggest single flock of the species ever recorded in Alberta. 12.5 hours (61.09) BAEA 3 (8), SSHA 8 (18), NOGO 1 (2), UA 1 (1), RTHA 1 (7), GOEA 11 (134) PRFA 1 (1) TOTAL 26 (175)

September 24 [Day 5] (Cliff Hansen) The temperature ranged from 5C to 12C, ground winds were SW-W up to 20 km/h, but ridge winds were strong SW all day causing most high-flying migrants to be buffeted. Cloud cover was 20-100% mainly altocumulus, initially to the west and subsequently developing into a Chinook Arch. A total of 33 migrant raptors moved between 1006 and 1925 comprising 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 adult light calurus Red-tailed Hawk, and 31 Golden Eagles (6a, 1sa, 5j, 19u) the aging of which was challenged by the height of the flight and lighting that produced mainly silhouettes. The maximum movement was 8 Golden Eagles between 1400 and 1500. Songbird movement was mainly American Robins with 30 birds flying south in two flocks, and a Blue Jay was the first for the season. 11.67 hours (48.59) SSHA 1 (10), RTHA 1 (6), GOEA 31 (123) TOTAL 33 (149)

September 23 [Day 4] (Jim Davis) The temperature reached a high of 13C at 1300 from a low of -3C, and it was still 8C at 1945. Ground winds were calm to light to 1015 after which they were SW gusting 40 km/h diminishing somewhat after 1600 and ridge winds were SW moderate to strong all day. It was cloudless to 1100 after which mainly altocumulus cloud gradually developed reaching 100% after 1300. The good migration conditions and excellent viewing conditions produced a season high total of 95 migrant raptors that moved between 0855 (the season’s first Cooper’s Hawk) and 1902 when the day’s 7th Sharp-shinned Hawk went south. The flight comprised 3 Bald Eagles, 1 juvenile Northern Harrier (the season’s first), 7 Sharp-shinned Hawks (all of indeterminate age), 2 Cooper’s Hawks (1a, 1u), I adult Northern Goshawk, 2 adult Red-tailed Hawks (light morph calurus) and a season high 79 Golden Eagles (61a, 3sa, 5j, 10u). The busiest hour was 1000-1100 with 28 migrants moving of which 25 were Golden Eagles. Once again the birds appeared to be moving from Heart Mountain to the Fisher Range bypassing Mount Lorette, and the rate of movement appeared to diminish as the wind velocity increased. Migrant passerines included 8 Orange-crowned Warblers, 20 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Townsend’s Warbler, 1 American Redstart and 10 Barn Swallows. 12.5 hours (36.92) BAEA 3 (5), NOHA 1 (1), SSHA 7 (9), COHA 2 (2), NOGO 1 (1), RTHA 2 (5), GOEA 79 (92) TOTAL 95 (116)

September 22 [Day 3] (Cliff Hansen) The sky was cloudless all day, the temperature rose to 12C from a low of -2C, ground winds were SSW generally below 10 km/h and ridge winds were moderate. None of the 16 raptor migrants recorded passed over Mount Lorette, but appeared over the northern end of the Fisher Range probably having come from Heart Mountain. Birds moved between 1334 and 1901 and comprised 1 juvenile Bald Eagle, 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 calurus Red-tailed Hawks (1 light adult, 1 intermediate juvenile) and 12 Golden Eagles (1a, 5sa, 3j, 3u). As yesterday no birds passed over Mount Lorette and all movement was to the east of the site. The warmer weather saw 3 butterfly species on the wing: Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, Mourning Cloak and Green Comma. 11.67 hours (24.42) BAEA 1 (2), SSHA 1 (2), RTHA 2 (3), GOEA 12 (13) TOTAL 16 (21)

September 21 [Day 2] (Joel Duncan) Low cloud persisted in the morning and observation didn’t start until 1100 after which clearing began and by 1800 all ridges were clear. Temperatures ranged from 3C to 5C, ground winds were NE 5-10 km/h and upper winds in the afternoon appeared to be SW moderate becoming light moderate by the end of the day. The first migrant raptor of the count was an adult Bald Eagle at 1447 and single Sharp-shinned Hawk (juvenile), Red-tailed Hawk (dark calurus adult) and a juvenile Golden Eagle moved south before an unidentified Buteo at 1800 closed the day’s proceedings. Passerines included 35 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Wilson’s Warblers, 2 Mountain Bluebirds, 31 American Pipits and 2 Lapland Longspurs, but the highlight of the day was an adult Black Bear in the Hay Meadow which hung around for long enough for Joel to get a good photograph. 8.5 hours (12.75) BAEA 1 (1), SSHA 1(1), RTHA 1 (1), UB 1 (1), GOEA 1 (1) TOTAL 5 (5)

The clearing of the Livingstone Ridge in late morning, after a week in the clouds, was celebrated by a visit by Denise, Pat, Dawn and Keith to the Piitaistakis site between 1115 and 1530 (4.25 hours) during which time they counted at least 25 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Cooper’s Hawk, 1 dark morph Ferruginous Hawk, 18 Golden Eagles (9 adults and 9 juveniles) and 2 Prairie Falcons.

September 20 [Day 1] (Cliff Hansen and Joel Duncan) Bad weather persisted in the area for the sixth straight day with all ridges and peaks remaining obscured throughout the day. The temperature ranged from 3C to 5C, winds were N light to moderate and cloud cover was 100% low stratocumulus. Light rain and drizzle developed into heavy rain, turning to snow at 1530 at which point the observers wisely retreated. Not surprisingly no migrant raptors were seen, but a resident Osprey was observed at Lorette Ponds on the way in. Passerines near the site included 30 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Wilson’s Warblers and 8 American Robins. 4.25 hours (4.25) No migrant raptors (0)

Introduction This is the 19th consecutive season that RMERF has conducted at least one fall count in the Front Ranges of the Rocky Mountains. In 1992 an extensive reconnaissance count of 33 days was made at Mount Lorette and subsequently full counts (75 to 101 days) were conducted there up to 2005, with the exceptions of 1997 when a full count occurred at Plateau Mountain, and 2002 when circumstances limited observations at Lorette to only 14 days. From 2006 to 2009 the principal observation site was moved to the Piitaistakis-South Livingstone ridge near the Crowsnest Pass, during which time daily comparative counts of around 40-45 days were conducted at Mount Lorette timed to coincide with the main movement of Golden Eagles. This year it proved impractical to conduct a count at the Piitaistakis-South Livingstone site, but it was decided to again do an extended count at Mount Lorette. This count is planned to go from September 20 to November 10.