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)