April 14 [Day 40] (Jim Davis) On arriving at the parking area at 0715 and finding zero visibility in the fog and snow, Jim first went south in search of better conditions, and then north to Lusk Creek from 0930 to 1300, returning to the Hay Meadow to 1545 and then back to Lusk Creek as snow once again obscured everything. The temperature at 0715 was -3C, but it climbed to a high of 5C at 1400 but quickly fell to just above freezing at 1600. Ground winds were W 5-8 km/h to noon increasing to moderate in the afternoon with gusts to 43 km/h at 1600, while ridge winds were SW reaching gusts in excess of 100 km/h after 1600. Cloud cover was 100% low stratus with fog and snow to 1300, followed by heavy snow with partial clearing to 80% between 1500 and 1600 before returning to 100% stratocumulus, altocumulus and cumulus after 1600. The eastern route was obscured to 1300 then almost completely cleared to 1600 after which it again became obscured, while the west was obscured to 1400 with only slight subsequent clearing. The first visit to Lusk Creek produced 2 adult Bald Eagles at 114 and 1200, the second of which moved rapidly to the east ahead of an advancing snow front, and an adult Golden Eagle. The other 11 migrants were seen from the Hay Meadow site between 1335 and 1540 with 6 of the birds moving between 1400 and 1500. As yesterday the birds mainly appeared north of Mount Allan and flew to the NE. The final count was 4 adult Bald Eagles, 5 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (4a, 1j), 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks (adult male and female that repeatedly interacted as they moved north at 1433), 2 Golden Eagles (1a, 1j) and 1 unidentified eagle that could barely be discerned in the fog.

10 hours (457.82) BAEA 4 (174), RTHA 5 (27), RLHA 2 (21), GOEA 2 (2918), UE 1 (12) TOTAL 14 (3207)

April 13 [Day 39] (Jim Davis) The temperature was -5C at 0730, rose to a high of 6C at 1400 and was 4C at 1900. Ground winds were very light or calm to 1100, N-NE 5-11 km/h to 1600 and thereafter very light or calm again. Ridge winds were initially moderate SW but became light to moderate NE-ENE in the afternoon with gusts not exceeding 35 km/h. Cloud cover was 20% altostratus with minor cirrus and cirrostratus to 1300 when it increased to 40%, between 1400 and 1600 it was 70% stratocumulus and cumulus, and after 1700 it was 100% stratus. Western ridges were clear to 1400, 80% occluded at 1700 and completely obscured at 1800; eastern ridges were clear to 1700 but progressively became enveloped in cloud and were completely covered at 1900. Steady snow started at 1840 and the count was terminated at 1900. A total of 33 raptors of a season high 8 species migrated between 1042 and and 1851 with a peak count of 10 birds between 1100 and 1200. The movement pattern was unusual with 26 of the birds appearing to the west and flying from Mount Allan or Mount Collembola to the NE, completely avoiding Mount Lorette and disappearing to the north of the Fisher Range. Only 4 birds moved on the Fisher Range, all after 1640, while the remaining birds flew north over the valley. The flight comprised 3 Bald Eagles (2a, 1j), 2 unaged Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 Cooper's Hawks (1a, 1u), 2 adult Northern Goshawks, 7 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (6 light, 1 dark), 4 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 1 unidentified dark morph Buteo, 10 Golden Eagles (4a, 2sa, 3j, 1u), 1 unidentified eagle and 1 columbarius Merlin of unknown sex and age. Other birds were also plentiful including 3 Tundra Swans, 2 Great Horned Owls flying in snow late in the day, a pair of Mountain Bluebirds, 70 American Robins, 3 Varied Thrushes, 654 Bohemian Waxwings in 3 flocks, an American Tree Sparrow and 3 Common Redpolls. There were also fresh tracks of 2 Canada Lynx near the site. 11.5 hours (447.82) BAEA 3 (170), SSHA 2 (18), COHA 2 (6), NOGO 2 (14), RTHA 7 (22), RLHA 4 (19), UB 1 (5), GOEA 10 (2916), UE 1 (11), MERL 1 (3) TOTAL 33 (3193)

“Elaine”remained in the same area as reported on April 10 so it appears that she has finally reached her summer range.

April 12 [Day 38] (Cliff Hansen) An initial temperature of -4C slowly rose to a high of 4C at 1500 and then fell again to 1C at 2000. Ground winds were W to variable, initially very light but gusting to 10 km/h at 1000 and reaching 5-10 gusting 25 km/h at 1600 before diminishing again. Ridge winds were SW-SSW and mainly moderate only occasionally gusting above 40 km/h. Cloud cover was mainly cumulus, initially 5%, but reaching 60% at 1300 and 80% at 1500, and varying between 60 and 80% for the rest of the day with altocumulus and cirrus developing at the end. All ridges were clear and observation conditions were very good after 1000. The first migrants were 2 Bald Eagles at 1104 with a juvenile bird harassing an adult as they moved north, but the first Golden Eagle did not appear until 1340. By the time the last Golden Eagle was recorded at 1930 a total of 53 migrant raptors had been tallied comprising 5 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa, 1j), 2 unaged Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 small unidentified Accipiter and 45 Golden Eagles (3a, 2sa, 26j, 14u). Peak movement was 16 birds from 1600-1700, and 1800-1900 which included 7 Golden Eagles soaring together over Mount Lorette at 1817. 13 hours (436.32) BAEA 5 (167), SSHA 2 (16), UA 1 (1), GOEA 45 (2906) TOTAL 53 (3160)

April 11 [Day 37] (George Halmazna) Moderate SW ground winds gusting to 35 km/h at 0900 produced the day's high temperature of 6.5C which dropped to 3C at 1100 as the ground winds abated and heavy snow fell. Ridge winds, however, remained SW-SSW moderate to strong throughout the day gusting over 100 km/h by late afternoon. Cloud cover was initially 50% altostratus and cumulus becoming 100% stratus after 1030 when rain and then snow developed and completely obscured the Fisher Range by 1100. After standing for an hour in the snow George relocated to Lusk Creek at 1200 where it was also snowing heavily with all ridges obscured, and finally gave up on the day at 1430 when it became obvious that conditions were not going to improve. Before the snow moved in, however, a total of 4 Golden Eagles (2a, 2j) migrated along the Fisher Range between 0902 and 0926. Also apparent at the site before the snow were fresh tracks of two wolves that had earlier moved towards the south. 8.16 hours (423.32) GOEA 4 (2861) TOTAL 4 (3107)

April 10 [Day 36] (Bill Wilson) The temperature was -5C at 0700 but rose to 8C at 1600 and 1700 before falling to 5C at the end of the day. Ground winds were S-SW 2-10, gusting to 20-40 km/h in the late morning and much of the afternoon but diminishing after 1930. Ridge winds were SW and occasionally WSW, moderate in the morning but strong in the afternoon with gusts to 130 km/h. Initial cloud cover was 30% cumulus and cirrus, but was 70-100% cumulus and altostratus for the rest of the day, and the western route was 10% obscured in the morning and up to 20% in the late afternoon with the eastern route clear all day. There was a fairly steady movement of raptors between a Golden Eagle 0927 and 2 Golden Eagles at 2018 peaking at 8 birds between 1300 and 1400 and 17 birds from 1400 to 1500. The flight of 41 migrants comprised 5 Bald Eagles (2a, 1sa, 1j, 1u), 1 juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 Cooper's Hawk of unknown age, 2 adult Northern Goshawks and 32 Golden Eagles (13a, 4sa, 9j and 6u). Yesterday's Northern Shrike was still present and other birds included 2 American Crows and 41 unidentified white-headed gulls flying high to the NE.

Since April 4 “Elaine” has moved 50 km to the north, then 55km to the NNE and now appears to be north of the North Fork of the Chandalar River on the southern flank of the Philip Smith Mountains of the Brooks Range. It is likely that she has now reached her summer range.

April 9 [Day 35] (Joel Duncan) The temperature reached a high of 7.5C at 1800 from a low at 1015 of 2.5C and was 3C at 2000. Ground winds were SSE-SSW 5-10 gusting 20 km/h and ridge winds were calm or light S-W until 1500 after which they were moderate S-SW gusting on occasion to 60 km/h. Cloud cover was 100% thin stratus to 1330 after which it was a mixture of cumulus, altostratus and cirrus varying between 20 and 100%. Despite the apparently good migration and observation conditions raptor movement was disappointing with only 9 birds moving between 1420 and 1957. The first of the day's 7 Golden Eagles (2sa, 4j, 1u) was not seen until 1632, and 4 of the birds moved between 1700 and 1800. The only other migrants were 2 Bald Eagles: 1 juvenile and 1 bird of indeterminate age, and all birds moved exclusively along the Fisher Range and crossed to Mount Lorette. A Tree Swallow was the first for the year and there was a Northern Shrike at the site. 10 hours (401.33) BAEA 2 (157), GOEA 7 (2825) TOTAL 9 (3062)

April 8 [Day 34] (George Halmazna, Cliff Hansen after 1630) The temperature was an unpleasant -17C at 0630 and by 0800 had fallen to -18C, but finally achieved a high of 4.5C at 1700. Ground winds were SW <5 km/h to 1300, after increasing to 5-10 gusting 20 km/h, while ridge winds were calm or light in the morning becoming moderate to strong SW in the afternoon gusting to 91 km/h at 1700. It was cloudless to 1400 after which 10-40% thin cirrostratus developed, and all peaks and ridges were clear all day. Raptor movement was the strongest in four days with 58 birds moving between 1021 (a Bald Eagle) and 1643 (2 Golden Eagles). Of these 49 were Golden Eagles (26a, 1sa, 15j, 7u), the first of which was not recorded until 1410. Other migrants were 7 Bald Eagles (3a, 2sa, 2j), 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk and 1 adult Cooper's Hawk. Peak movement was 14 birds between 1400 and 1500, and 13 birds between 1500 and 1600. A pair of Barrow's Goldeneye at Lorette Ponds were the first reported this season. 13.5 hours (391.33) BAEA 7 (155), SSHA 1 (13), COHA 1 (3), GOEA 49 (2818) TOTAL 58 (3053)