March 20 [Day 16] (Bill Wilson) The first day of spring was not very spring-like with a starting temperature of -4C that fell to -5C at 1000 and reached a high of only -1C between 1400 and 1500. Ground winds were N-NE 5-15 gusting 25 km/h all day making it feel considerably colder, while ridge winds were light SW and even calm on occasion. Cloud cover was 100-80% stratus to noon after which it was 90-100% cumulus and stratus apart from 1400-1500 when it diminished to 40%. It snowed until just before noon (2 cm fresh)with the ridges mostly obscured, and the west remained 80-100% obscured all day, as did the eastern route except between 1400 and 1600 when it was 50-60% clear. Despite these unpromising conditions the first migrant raptor, a subadult Bald Eagle, moved north above the valley at 1232 and when the last two Golden Eagles moved to the NW at 1740 a total of 118 migrant raptors had been recorded: 9 Bald Eagles (7a, 1 sa, 1j), 106 Golden Eagles (88a, 1sa, 2j, 15u) and 3 unidentified eagles. Until just before 1500 nearly all the movement was along the western route, but for the rest of the day birds moved against the face of the Fisher Range beneath the cloud that usually enveloped the ridge top, or they were detected as they approached Mount Lorette from the SE. Maximum movement was 1600 to 1700 when 49 raptors (5 Bald Eagles, 42 Golden Eagles and 2 unidentified eagles) were recorded, while 27 Golden Eagles occurred between 1400 and 1500, and 14 Golden Eagles moved between 1700 and 1740.

12 hours (171.83) BAEA 9 (42), GOEA 106 (653), UE 3 (4) TOTAL 118 (717)