DAY 42 (March 30) An almost exact replay of yesterday with Chinook cloud giving way after 1430 to scattered Cu. Winds were again moderate to strong SW and the temperature reached 13C, the highest so far this season. The earliest GOEA was 0810 and the latest 1952 but only 6 BAEA and 18 GOEA migrated in this time spread thinly across the entire period despite seemingly ideal migration and observation conditions. Again there were plenty of other birds as compensation with the 30 species recorded a new season high. Two Great Blue Herons [#55] at the heronry were the first for the year and 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets [#56] arrived 10 days earlier than the long-term average date, and Ruffed Grouse were heard drumming for the first time this season. For the first time this year there were good numbers of birds both around the site and migrating, such as 57 American Robins, 150 Bohemian Waxwings, 31 juncos and 68 Common Redpolls but despite this abundance of food we have yet to see our first Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s Hawk: maybe tomorrow? (13.66 hours: 497.6) BAEA 6 (98), GOEA 18 (1781) TOTAL 24 (1898)

DAY 41 (March 29) There was Chinook cloud all day with strong SW winds aloft and temperatures that climbed to 12C from 3C. These appeared to be ideal migration conditions and this seemed to be borne out by the first GOEA moving at 0754 (the earliest yet) and the second at 0811. The third, however, was not until 1017 and the last which was high over Mount Lorette at 1945 was only the 17th of the day. Three BAEA and 1 RTHA were the only other raptor migrants. Word reaching me through visitors indicated that poor weather in SW Alberta might have been the reason. Even the resident pair was nowhere to be seen, even though yesterday I saw them copulating for the first time high on Mount Allen (a couple of days earlier than usual), and the male sky-danced in front of Mount Lorette a few hours later. Other bird migrants made up somewhat for the paucity of raptors with our first Tree Swallow at 1048 [#51, 8 days earlier than average] and first Violet-green Swallow [#54, 12 days early] over the site at 16:52. At 1110 a female House Finch [#52] perched in an aspen at the site for 3 minutes providing just our 3rd record (and first female) all of which have been in the spring since 2003. A flock of 5 White-winged Crossbills at 1257 were also the first for the year [#53], and a flock of 25 Common Redpolls flying north was the highest number seen this year. The total of 25 bird species was also the highest for the year, and a Satyr Comma floating past the site at 1410 was also a first. (13.5 hours: 484) BAEA 3 (92), RTHA 1 (8), GOEA 17 (1763) TOTAL 21 (1874)

DAY 40 (March 28) Barometric pressure increased significantly overnight but the day started with light snow and all ridges obscured until 0830, but they quickly cleared and the cloud progressively diminished until by 1700 the sky was cloudless. Winds were light to moderate N to NE until late afternoon when they backed to WNW and then W bringing Ci cloud late in the day. Despite the strong sunshine the temperature only climbed to 4C from a low of -3C. As expected from the conditions raptor movement was slow and sporadic between1045 and 1903 and mainly to the west. There was a short-lived burst of 13 GOEA in 17 minutes between 1534 and 1551 that gave hope of better things, but it was not sustained. Another short burst of 6 GOEA over the east route around 1900 coincided with the onset of W winds and gives hope for a better day tomorrow. At 0700 there were 48 Elk grazing in the Hay Meadow and at 2000 17 White-tailed Deer, the biggest herds of both species seen so far this season. Three pairs of American Wigeon at the Ponds were the first for the year [#48], and the Hay Meadow also yielded the first 2 Killdeer [#49, 12 days later than average], and 14 Mountain Bluebirds, 11 of which occurred as a single flock of 10 males and 1 female. The last bird of the day was a Common Merganser flying high to the south at 1918, the first of the year [#50] and 5 days later than average. (13.25 hours: 470.5) RTHA 2 (7), GOEA 50 (1746) TOTAL 52 (1853)

DAY 39 (March 27) The storm that dumped snow on Calgary and the foothills today created upslope conditions but did not reach the Kananskis Valley which, apart from a few light flurries in the morning, escaped the snow. The ridges, however, were at least partly obscured until after 1600 and the late afternoon winds were N-NNW, all of which combined with temperatures from -10C to 3C made for difficult migration conditions. Between 1610 and 1804, however, 3 BAEA and 6 GOEA moved sluggishly to the N and NW respectively, generally low with much flapping, and when soaring flight was laboriously achieved height was not maintained for long. The cloud cover was 100% all day but by 2000 it was high and beginning to break, and slowly rising barometric pressure suggests a better day tomorrow. In the morning Cliff recorded the first Belted Kingfisher of the year at the Ponds [species # 46], this being only the second winter since 1991 that we have failed to find at least one kingfisher there. A male Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker was also the first for the year [#47] and was 4 days later than average. The Northern Shrike did not appear in the meadow today and appears to have finally left after being present for 17 straight days, by far the longest stay for the species that we have recorded. It spent a lot of its time when not perched, on the ground where it was probably finding arthropods and small mammals, small songbirds being almost completely absent during its stay. (13 hours: 457.2) BAEA 3 (89), GOEA 6 (1696) TOTAL 9 (1801)

DAY 38 (March 26) Cliff’s morning shift was finally graced by clear weather which unfortunately was a dreaded “blue-out” with clear skies and only occasional traces of Cu cloud. These conditions persisted until 1700 when the skies quickly clouded over to 100% As that persisted until the end of the day. Winds were again light to moderate westerlies aloft, and temperatures rose from -6C to 5.5C. Once again the morning was very quiet and Cliff saw the first GOEA only at 1213 just before I arrived at the site. The next 2.75 hours yielded only another 7 GOEAs moving low along the western route over Mount Allan, then at 1538 10 birds soared over Olympic Summit and the rush was on, with 137 GOEAs moving in the next 3.5 hours, mainly to the west. Only 2 birds were seen after 1900, the last moving at 1913. For the first time there was a significant number of non-adult birds with the GOEA total of 147 including 7 subadults and 5 juveniles. The two resident birds perched near the nest site, but we have yet to see any display activity. The morning produced our first Brown Creeper of the year [#45], and the sunny weather saw the first butterflies on the wing: a Mourning Cloak and a comma (Polygonia sp.) seen by Cliff on an afternoon visit to the Ponds. The Northern Shrike still shows no sign of wanting to move north. (13.17 hours: 444.2) BAEA 4 (86), NOGO 1 (6), GOEA 147 (1690) TOTAL 152 (1792)

DAY 37 (March 25) (Bill Wilson) Wet snow and sleet at 0700 quickly cleared leaving the ridges clear for the rest of the day with gradually diminishing cloud cover and the temperature rising from 0.5C to 4.5C. Winds were moderate to light SSW to WSW all day. As has become a pattern there was no early movement and the first migrant Golden Eagle did not appear until 1143, with movement gradually increasing and peaking between 1800 and 1900 with the passage of 25 GOEA, and the last and 91^st GOEA seen at 1944. All the age-identified birds were adults, and there was just a leavening of non-GOEA species. A drumming male Downy Woodpecker was the first for the season [species #43], and the weather conditions allowed high movement of non-raptor species along the ridges including 92 swans, of which a single flock of 80 at 1048 were Tundra Swans [# 44], and 61 adult white-headed gulls, two of which were identified as California Gulls. At ground level American Robins and Bohemian Waxwings moved north, while the shrike spent its 16^th day at the site. (13.75 hours: 431.1) BAEA 2 (82), NOGO 1 (5), RTHA 2 (5), GOEA 91 (1543) TOTAL 96 (1640)

DAY 36 (March 24) After yesterday’s late movement I was expecting an early start today but all the ridges were obscured and a light rain fell until 1230. Temperatures ranged from 3C to 9C and the ground and ridge winds were moderate S to SSW all day. Even when the mountains cleared intermittent rain continued for much of the afternoon and cloud cover remained 100% with steadily falling barometric pressure not giving too much cause for optimism. In the morning I found 2 adult RTHAs perched in the rain, one of which showed the characters of an “Eastern” red-tail (C.j.borealis). The first migratory GOEA appeared at 1225 and movement was fairly steady until late evening with the 69^th bird moving at 1921, allowing most of the 37 visitors to the site reasonable views of the birds. Despite the morning rain Varied Thrushes, Song Sparrows and, for the first time, American Robins were in good voice, and the first two American Crows arrived one day later than average. The over-wintering female and first-winter male Common Goldeneyes seem to have departed the Ponds having been last seen on March 20, but the Northern Shrike stayed around for the 15^th straight day. (13.17 hours: 417.3) RTHA 2 (3), GOEA 69 (1452) TOTAL 71 (1544)

DAY 35 (March 23) Again there were strong winds all day with the temperature rising to 10C from a start of 0.5. After three cloudless hours at the beginning of the day, the sky was a continuously changing kaleidoscope of various kinds of high-wind cloud, once again giving an excellent backdrop against which to view very high flying birds. Movement at first was like that of yesterday: very slow and sporadic, but at around 1430 the upper winds shifted from WNW to SW and the pace picked up significantly for the rest of the day including the latest movement yet: 19 GOEA from 1900-2000 and the last bird appearing just after 2000. The GOEA movement is still overwhelmingly of adult birds with just one subadult and one juvenile moving today. A male Mountain Bluebird at the site was the 41st species of the season, one day earlier than average, and caddis flies were seen on the wing for the first time. (13.25 hours: 404.1) BAEA 9 (80), GOEA 116 (1383) TOTAL 125 (1473)

DAY 34 (March 22) Strong westerly winds all day with 30-90% Cu, Ac and Ci cloud and temperatures from 2C to 7C produced a somewhat disappointing day, with many birds being displaced to the east to the foothills by the high winds. Movement started early at 0906 and each hour produced 4 to 12 birds until 1800. All the birds were high and fast, and apart from the 63 GOEA the only other raptor migrants were a single BAEA and our second GYRF of the season. The only other migrants were a single adult white-headed gull and a single Common Redpoll, but the shrike made a brief appearance early in the morning on its 13th straight day in the area. I guess only at Lorette can a count of 63 Golden Eagles and a Gyrfalcon be considered disappointing! (13 hours: 390.9) BAEA 1 (71), GOEA 63 (1267), GYRF 1 (2) TOTAL 65 (1348)

DAY 33 (March 21) The first full day of spring started at -7C and 100% snow cover after another 2 cm of snow fell overnight. A strong W to NW flow aloft finally produced a brief high of 3C, and after 1200 an excellent viewing sky with Cu, Ac,As and Ci cloud and a full Chinook arch late in the afternoon. Eagle movement started at 1015 and was fairly steady for most of the day with only a few gaps in the flow with all of the birds over the eastern route and most of them high. The highest hourly count was 29 (1 BAEA and 28 GOEA) from 1500-1600, and all but three birds of unknown age were adults. No new bird species arrived, but the Northern Shrike which was spending its 12th consecutive day at the site was briefly joined by a second bird at 1555 which it promptly chased away to the north. A sudden westerly gust of around 70 km/h at 1745 sent my down jacket flying into the river, which after jumping in to my waist to recover it, I found I couldn’t get back out because of the ice shelf and had to wade downstream to find a lower bank. The last 2.5 hours were rather chilly! (12.75 hours: 377.9) BAEA 6 (70), GOEA 120 (1204) TOTAL 126 (1283)

DAY 32 (March 20) The day started at 0C and light rain quickly changing to sleet then to heavy snow dropping 2 cm by 1200. The ridges then started to clear and by 1235 1 BAEA and 6 GOEA had moved and it looked like things were getting started. The ridges quickly disappeared again, however, and heavy snow returned [another 3 cm] until 1555, when the ridges again cleared and GOEAs were almost immediately in the air again. The following hour yielded 4 BAEA, 11 GOEA and our first Red-tailed Hawk of the year [# 39, 4 days earlier than average]. Then things really got into high gear with the next two hours producing 61 GOEA and 4 BAEA with the last moving to the NW at 1937. With this late movement and a steady rise in barometric pressure all afternoon the prospects for movement tomorrow appear to be good. The morning produced our first “Slate-coloured” Dark-eyed Juncos (J.h.cismontanus) and the first singing Song Sparrow, and when the snow stopped in the afternoon a few flocks of American Robins, Canada Geese and California Gulls [species #40] flew high to the north. (13 hours: 365.1) BAEA 11 (64), RTHA 1 (1), GOEA 81 (1084) total 93 (1084)

DAY 31 (March 19) Another odd day for weather with Cliff’s morning shift featuring NE winds and temperatures from -7C to 1C, with the mountains continuing to be obscured until after 0900, and only 2 juvenile BAEA, a single GOEA and a small unidentified raptor appearing to move. There was, however, the first sign of a resident adult GOEA near the nest site since February 21 when the pair appeared to inspect the nest site and found it covered in several metres of snow. After I arrived at the site at 1315 the winds shifted to SW gusting to 50 km/h, the temperature rose to 10C in a 20 minute period and GOEAs started migrating high along the Fisher Range almost immediately, with 88 birds moving between 1325 and 1557. At 1600 Cs cloud moved from the west, light rain began and the temperature fell from 11C to 4C in 5 minutes: the last GOEA was seen at 1619. Gradually all the peaks and ridges became obscured and after standing in the rain for 3.5 hours hoping in vain for them to clear I finally gave up. In the morning, as compensation for the weather, Cliff saw the first Varied Thrush of the season [#38] , exactly coincident with the average return date for the species. (12 hours: 352.1) BAEA2 (53), GOEA 90 (1003), UU 1 (1) TOTAL 93 (1064)

DAY 30 (March 18) (Bill Wilson) Upslope conditions brought snow and freezing rain to areas east of the mountains with cloud spilling into the Kananaskis Valley obscuring the ridges from the valley floor. It is possible that the ridges themselves remained clear for some of the day because brief clearing in the afternoon produced 7 GOEA already migrating along the Fisher Range: how many birds were missed we shall never know! The weather conditions brought fairly large numbers of other bird species into the valley including the first 6 American Robins of the season [# 37, 7 days later than average: one of the first late birds this year so far] and 3 white-headed gulls (probably California Gulls) that were 3 days earlier than average. Other birds included 264 European Starlings, 30 Bohemian Waxwings, single Western Meadowlark and Song Sparrow and the Northern Shrike for the ninth day. (11 hours: 340.1) GOEA 7 (913) TOTAL 7 (971)

DAY 29 (March 17) Strong SW winds kept me awake for much of the night and persisted throughout the day. The temperature was already 9C when I arrived at the site, rose to 11C and was still 8.5C at 2000. High cloud cover again provided excellent viewing conditions. The break in the GOEA flow continued from yesterday evening, however, and the first bird was not seen until 1117 and continuous movement didn’t start until after 1400. After that the flow of adult GOEAs was almost continuous, with the birds generally moving at considerable altitude and often disappearing into the base of Cu clouds that were above 3000 m, at least 1.5 km over our heads! The highest hourly count was 1600-1700 when we counted 91 GOEA and the first Gyrfalcon of the season [# 36]. The last GOEA was still high in the air over Mount Lorette and moving to the NW at 1954, the latest yet. Many thanks to Doug, Lorraine and Brian for helping me detect the birds under such challenging conditions. An adult male Red-winged Blackbird was the 35^th bird species of the season and was 7 days earlier than the long-term average arrival date, and the shrike hung around for an eighth straight day. (13 hours: 329.1) BAEA 1 (51), GOEA 271 (906), GYRF 1 (1) TOTAL 273 (964)

DAY 28 (March 16) The day started calm and -2C but quickly warmed up to 9C as a strong westerly flow developed bringing gusts to 60 km/h to the valley floor. Cloud cover was 70% to 100% Cu and high St all day again providing excellent observation conditions. The day picked up where it had left off yesterday with the first GOEA in the air at 0949, the earliest yet. As the winds aloft increased in strength the birds left the Fisher Range ridge and moved high above the valley, passing south of Mount Lorette over Hummingbird Plume Hill and off to the NW over Skogan Pass. By 1500 we had counted 100 birds, but the pace slackened considerably and the last bird moved at 1752. An adult female Merlin (F.c.columbarius) flew north down the valley at 1054, the first for the year [#34] and 5 days earlier than average. The “rarest” bird of the day was a Red-breasted Nuthatch, only the second for the year. The Northern Shrike spent its seventh day around the meadow, but the meadowlarks appear to have left overnight. A Common Raven collecting nesting material was another sign of approaching spring. (12.75 hours: 316.1) BAEA 3 (50), GOEA 120 (635), MERL 1(1) TOTAL 124 (691)

DAY 27 (March 15) ….and a better day it was, once the temperature had warmed up from an initial -15C to just above freezing and moderate SW winds developed aloft. Eagles started moving at 1128 and for the first hour had to be found against a cloudless blue sky. Mercifully Cu then Ci and Cs cloud moved from the west providing a splendid backdrop for the best movement this season, with GOEA moving steadily to1812 then sporadically to1911. The highest single hour count was 1600-1700 when 49 GOEA and 2 BAEA were seen. Of the 199 GOEA counted only 2 were subadults. A single adult NOGO soaring high over Lorette was the only non-eagle raptor of the day. A Song Sparrow perched on a stump embedded in river ice was the first of the year [#32], 7 days earlier than average, while a Ruffed Grouse just south of the site was the first seen this year [#33], although I have previously seen 4 sets of tracks. A Wilson’s Snipe on the river was only the second of the year. (12.75 hours: 303.4) BAEA 6 (47), NOGO1 (4), GOEA 199 (515) TOTAL 206 (567)

DAY 26 (March 14) Snow and low cloud in the morning delayed the start to 0930 and flurries occurred all day including a 1 cm snowfall in mid afternoon. Ground winds were variable and generally light, as were the WNW upper winds in the morning, becoming moderate in the afternoon. The temperature again only rose to 0C and was back to -6C at the end of the day. Light winds and cool temperatures meant that when the eagles finally got off the ground after 1117 they could get no lift, and for about 10 minutes 7 GOEAs soared low over the pyramid on Mount Lorette without gaining any elevation, before giving up and flapping low in front of the mountain towards the NW. In the afternoon individual birds or pairs moved high along the Fisher Range in between snow events but no significant movement was established. A pressure rise of 6 hPa in the last 4 hours of observation gives hope of a better day tomorrow. (10.33 hours: 290.6) BAEA 2 (41), GOEA 21 (316) TOTAL 23 (361)

DAY 25 (March 13) North winds continued until 1030 when a light to medium westerly flow established aloft. The cold air persisted, however and temperatures only ranged from -6C to zero, with 1 cm of snow falling between 0900 and 1000. Once the ridges cleared, migration conditions were good and movement occurred between 1058 and 1928. For the first time this season, there was significant movement on the western route involving Mount Kidd and Mount Allan for much of the morning. Afternoon movement was more sporadic with long gaps in the flow, but 33 of the GOEA moved in 30 minutes from 1630 to 1700 suggesting that serious movement can’t be far off. The 11 BAEA was the highest count this season, and the 77 GOEA the second highest. The total bird species count was 21, also the highest for the season, and included 4 new species: an American Tree Sparrow [#28, 9 days earlier than average], two Dark-eyed [Oregon] Juncos [#29, 1 day early], two Western Meadowlarks [#30, 12 days early], and a single Snow Bunting [#31]. Add to this a singing Northern Shrike, and a Northern Pygmy-Owl that spent 2 hours at the site and it turned out to be a rather good day. (12.66 hours: 280.3) BAEA 11 (39), GOEA 77 (295) TOTAL 88 (338)

DAY 24 (March 12) Cliff took the morning shift and once again he had bad weather with strong SW winds pushing the cloud front well to the east largely obscuring all ridges and producing light to moderate rain and sleet until around 1400. The temperature rose to 7C when the clouds briefly broke for a short period, and late afternoon clearing of the ridges allowed the movement of just 2 adult GOEAs: of course they came through just a couple of minutes after Cliff had left! As compensation he had earlier seen 2 Grey Jays mobbing one of the Northern Pygmy Owls south of the Ponds, and a flock 7 Pine Grosbeaks flying north. Three European Starlings were the first of the year (#27), 4 days later than the long-term average. At 1925 a cold front passed from the north quickly lowering the temperature to -2C by 2000 (12.58 hours: 267.7) GOEA 2 (218) TOTAL 2 (250)

DAY 23 (March 11) (Bill Wilson) [NOTE: change to Mountain Daylight Time: all times cited are now in MDT] Moderate W to WSW winds and temperatures from 7C to 11.5C produced excellent migration conditions in the morning and early afternoon, and 45 GOEA migrated between 1012 and 1419. Rapidly falling pressure indicated that the weather was not going to last, and rain started at 1615. Soon after, at 1630, two Great Horned Owls were singing north of the site: the first to be heard this season. (10.08 hours: 255.1) BAEA 1 (28), GOEA 45 (216) TOTAL 46 (248)

DAY 22 (March 10) Moderate to strong downslope SW winds again persisted all day, with Cu and As cloud again making for excellent viewing conditions. Raptor movement was fairly strong and persistent between 0925 (the earliest yet) and 1600, when falling pressure and increasing cloud cover coincided with a dwindling eagle movement in the late afternoon. The total of 84 GOEA was the highest yet this season, with 38 birds moving between 1200 and 1400: the total included 1 subadult and 1 juvenile bird. Early in the morning 2 Northern Pygmy Owls (presumably a pair) were perched south of the Ponds, while a Great Horned Owl was seen occupying the Great Blue Heron nest that it used last year. The first skein of 7 migrating Canada Geese moved high to the north over Mount Lorette, and the first Northern Shrike of the year (#26) hunted around the site in the late afternoon. (12.42 hours: 245) BAEA 1 (27), NOGO 2 (3), GOEA 84 (171) TOTAL 87 (202)

DAY 21 (March 09) Again upper winds were moderate to strong SW all day and observing conditions were excellent with a backdrop of Cu clouds all day. The temperature ranged from 1C to 5.5C, and this combined with long periods of sunshine has now melted most of the snow in the Hay Meadow. GOEA movement was slow but steady from 1010 (the earliest yet) to 1809 (the latest yet) and the total of 26 birds included the first subadult bird to date. Six adult Bald Eagles moving after 1600 completed the day’s total of 32 migrants. The first Wilson’s Snipe of the year, the 25th bird species of the season, was the earliest ever by one day and 35 days earlier than average (excluding the 3 years when the species has over-wintered in the area. (12.42 hours: 232.6) BAEA 6 (26), GOEA 26 (87) TOTAL 32 (115)

DAY 20 (March 08) Winds were similar to yesterday’s but it was much cooler (-1C to 3C) with 1.5 cm of fresh snow, and snow and flurries through much of the day. The eastern route was more or less clear much of the day, however, but only 1 adult GOEA and 2 BAEA (1 adult, 1 wb2 subadult) moved, suggesting that conditions farther to the south were not as favourable. With the barometric pressure rising throughout the day, I am expecting a better day tomorrow. The Ponds saw a small influx of goldeneyes with 6 Common Goldeneye (1 adult male, 2 first winter males and 3 females), and our first Barrow’s Goldeneye of the year: a female. (12.33 hours: 220.2) BAEA 2 (20), GOEA1 (61) TOTAL 3 (83)

DAY 19 (March 07) The warmest day so far with the temperature 6oC at 0700 rising to 12oC and still 8oC at 1900. Winds were moderate to strong SW all day with progressively increasing Cu and then As cloud as the day progressed again provided excellent viewing and migration conditions. As has been normal so far this season there was no movement before noon, but the afternoon produced the best GOEA movement so far with 26 adult birds gliding high from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette: 20 of the birds moved after 1500. The day also produced the first migrant goshawk and Prairie Falcon, and 3 adult Bald Eagles. At last a day with more migrant raptors than observation hours! (12.25 hours: 207.8) BAEA 3 (18), NOGO 1 (1), GOEA 26 (60), PRFA 1 (1) TOTAL 31 (80)

DAY 18 (March 06) The temperature at 0700 was 6oC and rose by mid afternoon to 10oC. Winds were light to moderate, S-SSW at ground level and WSW at ridge level giving good migration conditions, with 100% high As most of the day giving excellent observing conditions. By just before 1700, however, only 2 adult GOEA had gone north, but then 8 more adults passed before 1745: all were very high and fast, so the relative paucity of migrants results from the “pipeline” being still relatively empty. By contrast, this day last year yielded 134 GOEA. The warm weather has brought new birds and changes. About 70% of the American Dippers that were holding winter territories a week ago have now gone. American Three-toed Woodpeckers were drumming today for the first time, and a male and female Hairy Woodpecker drummed alternatively about 30 m apart. A pair of Great Horned Owls were at the Great Blue Heron nest that they used last year, a Canada Goose was at the Ponds with a Mallard and 4 Common Goldeneyes, and late in the afternoon a flock of 45 Bohemian Waxwings, the first for the year, arrived at the site and spent three hours feeding on insects around a melt-water pool in the Hay Meadow. A juvenile male Northern Goshawk perched near the site was also the first for the year, but was probably a non-migrant. (12.25 hours: 195.6) GOEA 10 (34) TOTAL 10 (49)

DAY 17 (March 05) Another warm day (2o-8.25oC) which finally provided the first significant bare patches in what has been up to now a continuous snow cover. Winds at ridge level were moderate WNW all day, and 80-100% cloud cover made observation easy. Cliff took the early shift and (wouldn’t you know it!) the first of 6 adult GOEAs moved past at 1318, two minutes after he had left the site. An adult BAEA brought the total to 7 migrants for the day, the highest (?!) count so far this season. A total of 14 Common Redpolls moved past the site in the morning, by far the biggest finch day yet. (11.75 hours: 183.3) BAEA 1 (15), GOEA 6 (24) TOTAL 7 (39)

DAY 16 (March 04) (Bill Wilson) The warmest day so far (2o-8.5oC) with light to moderate W winds aloft and generally good cloud conditions, but only 4 migrants: 1 BAEA and 3 GOEA. The total of 12 bird species seen was the highest this season and included a large owl (Great Horned or Barred) flushed late in the day south of the site in rapidly fading light. The Northern Pygmy Owl was again present early in the morning. (12.33 hours: 171.5) BAEA 1 (14), GOEA 3 (18)

DAY 15 (March 03) Downslope wind conditions developed overnight raising the temperature to a high of 7^oC and producing WNW moderate to strong upper winds all day, which combined with a good Cu/As cloud cover should have produced excellent migration and observation conditions. Only 2 adult Golden Eagles and a single Bald Eagle moved, however. I suspect that snow conditions on the Plains to the south may be delaying the emergence of ground squirrels which I believe adult Golden Eagles need as “fuel” before embarking on the migration to Alaska and The Yukon during which they will have few opportunities to feed. The highlight of the day was again a mammal: a mink dragged the eviscerated remains of what was probably a Brown Trout (considerably larger than the mink) behind a small log jam under the ice-shelf across the river from the observation site, where it presumably spent the rest of the afternoon consuming it. The warm weather produced the first flying insect of the year: a single stonefly (Plectoptera, Capniidae) at 1719. (11.83 hours: 159.2) BAEA 1 (13), GOEA 2 (15) TOTAL 3 (28)

DAY 14 (March 02) Most of the day was cloudless with only occasional bands of Ci moving from the west making observing against a plain blue sky challenging. Temperatures ranged from -22^oC up to -1^oC, and winds were light to moderate, generally from the SSW. By 1218 I had seen 2 BAEA and 3 GOEA (all adults) and it appeared that a good day was in prospect; however, only one more GOEA moved, at 1728, despite the conditions apparently remaining constant. The gap was filled by watching a Mountain Goat high on a crag of the Fisher Range, outlined against the blue sky and sporadically enveloped in blowing snow. The highlight of the day, however, came at 1213 when I saw what I took to be a dead leaf blowing to the east across the river, but realizing that the wind was in the opposite direction I put my binoculars on it and saw that it was a large dark shrew running rapidly on the water surface! I had read that American Water Shrews can cross small bodies of still water using air bubbles trapped in the hairs of the soles of their feet, but this animal was crossing the western channel of the swiftly flowing Kananaskis River which is 11 m wide (I later measured it) at that point. It chose a stretch of water above a riffle where the flow was planar producing a smooth water surface. It’s appropriate that the local subspecies is called the “Navigator Shrew”! (11.75 hours: 147.4) BAEA 2 (12), GOEA 3 (13) TOTAL 6 (25)

DAY 13 (March 01) The weather was similar to yesterday’s with very light variable ground winds until 1130, then N to 20 km/h, with the upper winds light westerly. After light snow finished at 1030 the day was mainly sunny but the high temperature was only -5.5^oC. A total of 6 GOEA migrated between 1510 and 1614 suggesting that the migration is finally getting started. Our first Northern Pygmy-Owl of the season sang early in the morning south of the Ponds, and a single Common Redpoll flying over was just the second finch species (and individual!) of the season. (11.66 hours: 135.7) GOEA 6 (9) TOTAL 6 (19)

DAY 12 (February 28) The temperature went from a low of -21^oC at 0700 to a high of -1^oC at 13:00, but subsequently the winds that had been very light became northerly eventually gusting to 30 km/h and reducing the temperature to -8^oC by 1800. Despite the opposing winds 2 GOEA moved to the NW along the Fisher Range between 1442 and 1555: the first migrants in four days. The total of 13 migrants seen in February was 31% below the long-term monthly average. The total of 10 Bald Eagles was the second highest February total ever (+ 71%), despite the fact that no migrants of the species were seen over the last 5 days of the month. The total of only 3 Golden Eagles was the lowest February count since 1997 and 76% below the long-term monthly average. (11.75 hours: 124) GOEA 2 (3) TOTAL 2 (13)

DAY 11 (February 27) North winds gusting to 26 km/h all day and despite mainly sunny conditions the wind combined with a high of -5^oC made observation uncomfortable. Not that there was much to observe again: no raptors and only three bird species plus a fresh track of a Ruffed Grouse: the first sign of the species this year. The paucity of Ruffed Grouse together with low numbers of Snowshoe Hares and American Red Squirrels probably explain the total absence of resident Northern Goshawks in the area so far this year. (9.0 hours: 112.3) No migrants (11)