The Rocky Mountain Naturalists joined up with Peter Sherrington and the Crowsnest Conservation Society to view the raptor migration in the Crowsnest area. Below is Peter Sherrington's report for the day.
Beaver Mines (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Denise Cocciolone-Amatto and members of the Crowsnest Conservation Society and the Cranbrook Rocky Mountain Naturalist Society) 1200-1830. The temperature rose from 7C to 10C, winds were initially WSW 10-15 gusting 30 km/h becoming ESE 10-15 gusting 25 after 1500 becoming lighter later in the afternoon. Cloud cover was initially 10-30% cumulus which resulted in extensive blue sky behind the “Big Hill” before 1600 which made locating high-flying raptors difficult, but subsequent thickening of the cloud cover to 80-90% altocumulus, cumulus and cirrus made the task easier for the rest of the day. There was a steady stream of migrants between 1257 and 1825 involving 9 species of migrants. The total of 125 birds, which is the third highest count of the season, comprised 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa), the year’s first 4 Northern Harriers (2 adult males and 2 females), 4 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 3u), 4 Northern Goshawks (2a, 2u), 3 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 2 dark morph Rough-legged Hawks, 101 Golden Eagles (97a, 4sa), the season’s first American Kestrels (a male and a female) and 1 columbarius Merlin of unknown age or sex. The busiest hour was 1500-1600 which saw passage of 54 migrants, 50 of which were Golden Eagles. BAEA 4 (114), NOHA 4 (4), SSHA 4 (6), NOGO 4 (16), RTHA 3 (9), RLHA 2 (29), GOEA 101 (866), AMKE 2 (2), MERL 1 (7) TOTAL 125 (1060)
Beaver Mines (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Denise Cocciolone-Amatto and members of the Crowsnest Conservation Society and the Cranbrook Rocky Mountain Naturalist Society) 1200-1830. The temperature rose from 7C to 10C, winds were initially WSW 10-15 gusting 30 km/h becoming ESE 10-15 gusting 25 after 1500 becoming lighter later in the afternoon. Cloud cover was initially 10-30% cumulus which resulted in extensive blue sky behind the “Big Hill” before 1600 which made locating high-flying raptors difficult, but subsequent thickening of the cloud cover to 80-90% altocumulus, cumulus and cirrus made the task easier for the rest of the day. There was a steady stream of migrants between 1257 and 1825 involving 9 species of migrants. The total of 125 birds, which is the third highest count of the season, comprised 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa), the year’s first 4 Northern Harriers (2 adult males and 2 females), 4 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a, 3u), 4 Northern Goshawks (2a, 2u), 3 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks, 2 dark morph Rough-legged Hawks, 101 Golden Eagles (97a, 4sa), the season’s first American Kestrels (a male and a female) and 1 columbarius Merlin of unknown age or sex. The busiest hour was 1500-1600 which saw passage of 54 migrants, 50 of which were Golden Eagles. BAEA 4 (114), NOHA 4 (4), SSHA 4 (6), NOGO 4 (16), RTHA 3 (9), RLHA 2 (29), GOEA 101 (866), AMKE 2 (2), MERL 1 (7) TOTAL 125 (1060)
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