DAY 8 (February 24) Ideal viewing conditions with variable high cloud, moderate SSW to SW winds and temperatures rising to -1oC from a low of -12oC. Finally at 1211 and after 76 hours, 36 minutes of observation, the season’s first Golden Eagle glided high above the Fisher Range across the Kananaskis Valley to Mount Lorette thence to the NW. A single Pine Grosbeak calling at the Ponds was the first finch of the season. (11.5 hours) GOEA 1 (1) TOTAL 1 (11)
DAY 7 (February 23) Two centimetres of fresh snow provided ideal tracking conditions early in the morning when the temperature was -17oC revealing tracks of up to 3 Short-tailed Weasels, a Least Weasel, a Mink and the two Cougars again. The temperature rose to -1oC and by mid-morning the cloud had all but disappeared producing a beautiful sunny day, but only one migrant raptor: an adult Bald Eagle. There was a late influx of Common Ravens flying to the SW over Mount Lorette including a single flock of 40 birds at 1755. (11.5 hours) BAEA 1 (10) TOTAL 1 (10)
DAY 6 (February 22) A beautiful morning starting at -11oC, but with almost no wind it appeared almost spring-like. Black-capped Chickadees were singing for the first time and a female Pileated Woodpecker was excavating a nest hole in an aspen poplar while the male drummed and called nearby. An imitated pygmy-owl call quickly brought in the first Boreal Chickadees of the year. At 1146 a single Canada Goose flew south down the centre of the valley providing the earliest ever record for the species at the site by 2 days, and 16 days earlier than the 1993-2006 average first occurrence. The barometer falling 1 hPa per hour suggested that “spring” was not going to last long and snow started at 1240 becoming steady at 1330 with low cloud obscuring all peaks and ridges for the rest of the day. The gloomy conditions proved ideal for a Cinereous Shrew, however, that scurried around the site until I called it a day at 1430. A non-migrant adult Bald Eagle that perched for about 1.5 hours on a tall spruce near the site was the only raptor seen all day. (7.25 hours) No migrants (9).
DAY 5 (February 21) A pleasant day with the temperature rising to -0.5oC with S to SW winds gusting to 30 km/h and 40-60% Cu cloud cover: just 2 adult Bald Eagles moved north, however. Two adult Golden Eagles soared around the nest site on Mount Allen around 1230, and a single adult moved south down the Fisher Range at 1650 suggesting that the resident pair were back for the first time this year. The Cougar tracks seen yesterday proved to be those of two animals that had been active all around the pond complex to the north. The first Mountain Chickadees of the year (7) were in a flock with a single male Red-breasted Nuthatch, and in the middle of the afternoon a Hairy Woodpecker flew over towards the north. (10.92 hours) BAEA 2 (9) TOTAL 2 (9)
DAY 4 (February 20) Heavy snow fell to 1030 (9 cm) with a further 1cm in the afternoon, as downslope winds continued. Two adult Bald Eagles occurred but neither appeared to be a migrant. In mid-afternoon I found the fresh track of a Cougar about 150 m north of the site which must have passed by me sometime after 1030. (10.75 hours) No migrants (7).
DAY 3 (February 19) Chinook winds gusting to 50 km/h continued, with the mountains to the west in cloud for much of the day. Five Bald Eagles (4 adults and 1 juvenile) moved to the north along the Fisher Range between 1150 and 1354, which is the highest single-day count for the species in February. (10.25 hours) BAEA 5 (7) TOTAL 5 (7)
DAY 2 (February 18). Ron had the pleasure of the morning shift that saw 8 cm of snow fall and flurries continued for much of the day. During a lull in the snow a Bald Eagle moved north at 1559 that proved to be the only raptor of the day. New bird species were Grey Jay (1), Black-capped Chickadee (2) and 2 Common Goldeneye females and 3 Mallard at the beaver ponds seen by Ron and Cliff who trudged there through the snow. (10.5 hours) BAEA 1 (2) TOTAL 1 (2)
DAY 1 (February 17). A pleasant opening day with the temperature reaching 5oC, SW winds gusting to 50 km/h and an excellent backdrop of As and Cu clouds. The only raptor was an adult Bald Eagle moving north over Mount Lorette at 1112. Only 3 other bird species were recorded: Common Raven, Black-billed Magpie and American Dipper. The almost complete lack of cones on the conifers suggests that finches are going to be hard to find this spring. (10.08 hours) BAEA 1 (1) TOTAL 1 (1)
