Sunday, April 24, 2011

April 20 [Day 46] (Jim Davis) The temperature rose to 3C at 1700 from a low of -4C and was 2C at 1900. Ground winds were very variable, initially calm then moderate S from 0900-1100, then E-NE gusting to 26 km/h to 1700, and light W for the rest of the day; ridge winds were moderate to strong SW all day. Cloud cover was 40-100% cumulus and stratocumulus, the western ridges were partially obscured for much of the day (10-50%) while the east was essentially clear, and there was a period of light snow showers between 1500 and 1700. For the third straight day there was a good raptor movement for this part of the season with a total of 53 migrants of 7 species recorded between 0919 and 1946, with 9 of the birds occurring between 1500 and 1600. Fifteen of the birds moved on the western route, while the rest were to the east moving from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette. The flight comprised 6 Bald Eagles (4a, 2j), 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks (2a, 2j, 1u), 2 Cooper's Hawks (1a, 1j), 1 adult Northern Goshawk, 7 adult Red-tailed Hawks (6 light morph calurus and 1 “Krider's Hawk” (B.j.borealis var krideri), the first for the season), 5 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 25 Golden Eagles (11a, 2sa, 7j, 5u) which is the highest count for the species since April 12, and 1 unidentified eagle. Without a doubt, however, the highlight of the day was a closely observed male Nashville Warbler seen at the site at 1642, which is the first warbler seen this season, and only the 5th record of the species for the site, the previous 4 being in the fall. Other migrants included a white-headed gull of unknown species, 1 American Pipit and 41 Common Redpolls. 12.5 hours (531.07) BAEA 6 (188), SSHA 5 (37), COHA 2 (8), NOGO 1 (16), RTHA 7 (41), RLHA 5 (38), UB 1 (6), GOEA 25 (2978), UE 1 (13) TOTAL 53 (3343)

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