October 27 [Day 36] (Terry Waters) After a couple of cool days the temperature rose to a high of 8C at 1500 from a low of -4C and was 4C at 1800. Ground winds were light SW all day, ridge winds were moderate SW-WSW occasionally gusting over 100 km/h and cloud cover was 80-90% altocumulus diminishing to 20% cumulus and cirrus by late afternoon affording excellent viewing conditions all day. The first of the day’s 21 migrant raptors did not appear until 1140 and movement was slow until after 1600 when 15 of the birds were recorded, 10 of which were between 1700 and 1750. The flight comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 19 Golden Eagles (14a, 2sa, 1j, 2u) and 1 unidentified eagle. Most movement was from Mount Lorette to the Fisher Range with many birds high above the ridge. The only non-raptor migrants were 1 Common Loon flying high to the south at 1620, and 3 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches. 10.5 hours (396.32) BAEA 1 (101), GOEA (2548), UE 1 (8) TOTAL 21 (2866)

One Golden Eagle that will not be counted by us this year is a bird that was found dead near Jasper National Park on October 6. Rob Domenech of the Raptor View Research Institute in Montana has informed us that she was found along Highway 93 and he speculates that she was probably struck by a vehicle while feeding on road-kill, as there are no power lines in the area she was located. This 5.4 kg bird was caught at their Aspen Grove bait station on October 28, 2008 and designated as Golden Eagle C-90. She was a rather thick legged individual requiring a 9C band and had an impressive 149mm footpad. She was subsequently reported in Denali National Park, Alaska, during the months of June and July 2010 where she was apparently observed and photographed for over two months by hundreds of visitors. This is Raptor View’s first eagle to be encountered twice at two different locations more than 16 km apart, but it is very unfortunate that it should have happened in this way.