DAY 69 (April 30) A cloudless start to the day allowed the temperature to drop to -5.5C but it quickly warmed up to a high of 11C with sunshine for most of the day. Winds were generally moderate SW and As/Ci cloud gave way after 1100 to 40-80% Cu giving excellent observing conditions. Raptor movement was steady all day from 0959 to 1947 with a season-high 11 species recorded. Movement was on the western route until 1400, then mainly above the middle of the valley until 1700 after which they mainly were seen high over the eastern route. The highlight was a total of three Turkey Vultures (2a, 1j) [species # 91] which represented not only the highest ever daily count at the site but the highest seasonal count as well! There have only been a total of 9 birds seen previously at the site since 1993. The GOEA total was the highest since April 21 and the highest ever for the date, and included just 1 adult bird. A juvenile bird recorded at 1618 brought the species total to 2100 and the combined species total to 2500. The combined species total for May of 622 birds is 25.5% below the long-term average, but is the highest total since 2003. The 332 GOEA total is 45.1% below the monthly average, as were RLHA (15, -14%), OSPR (4, -32%) and NOHA 3 (-57%). Most species totals, however, were higher than average including RTHA (44, 52.9%), COHA (14, 48%), SSHA 50, 41.3%), BAEA (105, 14.7%), NOGO (16, 11.8%) and all 5 falcon species. The 26 days spent observing during the month (4 full days were lost to weather) was 10.3% below average, but the 336.39 hours was almost exactly average.
I tallied a total of 48 bird species today, the second highest for the season, including the first 4 White-crowned Sparrows [# 89], 4 days later than the long term average arrival date, and a female Rusty Blackbird [#90]. (14.25 hours: 839.7) TUVU 3 (3), OSPR 3 (4), BAEA 1 (206), SSHA 10 (50), COHA 5 (14), NOGO 1 (22), UA 3 (6), RTHA 2 (52), GOEA 27 (2117), AMKE 1 (5), PEFA 1 (2), PRFA 1 (4) TOTAL 58 (2528)

April 29 Steady wet snow fell all morning turning to rain in the afternoon, with the ridges obscured all day. NO OBSERVATION

DAY 68 (April 28) (Cliff Hansen, Ron Dutcher) The rain continued to around 1030 with the ridges obscured until after 0900, then it progressively cleared until after 1900 it was almost cloudless. The temperature rose to 12C from a low of 4C and SW-W winds gradually diminished throughout the day. Once again raptor movement was almost non-existent with only one juvenile GOEA moving at 1605. There was an influx of 16 Northern Shovelers at Lorette Ponds and a flock of 10 Savannah Sparrows in the Hay Meadow was the highest number so far this year. (12.66 hours: 825.4) BAEA 1 (205), SSHA 1 (40), GOEA 1 (2090) TOTAL 3 (2470)

DAY 67 (April 27) (Joel Duncan) Strong SW winds all day with 30% Ac/As cloud thickening after 1400 with light rain developing, becoming 100% with steady rain after 1600 and temperatures ranging from 7C to 12C. Raptor movement was limited to only 6 birds of 3 species, and the only other obvious migrants were a steady stream of Yellow-rumped Warblers moving north throughout the day. (11.83 hours: 812.8) BAEA 2 (204), COHA 1 (9), GOEA 3 (2089) TOTAL 6 (2467)

DAY 66 (April 26) Upper winds were moderate SW backing to strong W after 1200, with Cu and Ac cloud giving an excellent observation backdrop, and the temperature rose to 11C from -3C. Raptor movement was again slow and very sporadic including single SSHA, COHA and NOGO passing in a 3-minute period (moving in taxonomic order!) and a group of 3 juvenile GOEA just before 1900. An adult male Richardson’s MERL at 1504 brought the species total to 17 equaling the highest spring count for the site. A Barn Swallow [species # 88] flying over the site at 1055 was the earliest ever and 10 days earlier than average and it, or a second bird, was seen again at 1439. All four swallow species seen so far at the site have arrived significantly earlier than the 15-year average return date. Wilson’s Snipe were heard in winnowing display flight for the first time, and Yellow-rumped Warblers were singing although no females have been seen yet. (14 hours: 801) BAEA 1 (202), SSHA 1 (39), COHA 1 (8), NOGO 1 (21), GOEA 6 (2086), AMKE 1 (4), MERL 1 (17) TOTAL 12 (2461)

DAY 65 ( April 25) Ground winds were generally from the south gusting to 18 km/h and moderate SW aloft, with Cu and As cloud and a temperature high of 11C. Raptor movement was painfully slow with only 5 migrants in over 13 hours of observation, including 2 BAEA raising the total for the species over 200. A single male “Pink-sided Junco” (J.h.mearnsi) in a flock of 30 montanus juncos was an overshoot from the south, and a Yellow Pine Chipmunk was the first seen this year. The highlight of the day, however, was a flock of Grey-crowned Rosy Finches estimated at 800 birds that swept back and forth like a cloud of smoke above the Fisher Range before condensing into a tight ball from which they dropped in a thin column like grains of sand in an hour glass to land at the tree-line. (13.33 hours: 787) BAEA 2 (201), SSHA 1 (38), GOEA 1 (2080), AMKE 1 (3) TOTAL 5 (2449)

DAY 64 (April 24) Generally a gloomy day with 100 to 80 % cloud cover with only occasional sunny breaks in the afternoon. Winds increased in strength from the SW throughout the day and the temperature reached 13C before light rain started at 1600 becoming heavy after 1915 with all the ridges obscured. Raptor movement was also dull with only 10 migrants scattered throughout the day. A male Brown-headed Cowbird [# 86] was the second earliest ever and 10 days earlier than average, and a Pine Siskin [#87] called at the site in the afternoon. The overcast morning put a good number of birds down in the meadow including 40 American Robins, 30 Dark-eyed Juncos, 35 American Pipits and 3 Savannah Sparrows. The first Western Pine Elfin of the year turned up at the site just before the rain started (13 hours: 773.6) SSHA 1 (37), UA 1 (3), GOEA 5 (2079), MERL 2 (16), UU (4) TOTAL 10 (2444)

DAY 63 (April 23) Cliff’s morning shift again produced fine weather after a -4C start, with light variable winds and 0-30% Cu cloud. The winds were generally from the SW in the afternoon with Cu cloud gradually giving way to Ci then Cs late in the day, with a high of 14C. Despite the westerly winds most movement was on the western route with the first Golden Eagles seen over the Fisher Range only at 1811, which also proved to be the last eagles of the day. Of the 20 Golden Eagle migrants, only 2 were adults, with 5 subadults and 13 juveniles. The first Yellow-rumped Warbler of the year [# 85] was a male Myrtle-Audubon’s intergrade, and was 4 days later than average. Later in the afternoon 2 male Audubon’s Warblers perched with a male Myrtle Warbler at the site. For the first time this season butterflies were fairly numerous including a number of Green Commas for the first time, and Western Toads joined their voices to those of the Wood Frogs also for the first time. (14 hours: 760.6) SSHA 4 (36), COHA 1 (7), NOGO 1 (20), UA 1 (2), RTHA 5 (50), RLHA 2 (16), GOEA 20 (2074), AMKE 1 (2), MERL 1 (14), PRFA 1 (3) TOTAL 37 (2434)

DAY 62 (April 22) (Bill Wilson) It was generally a gloomy day with 80-100% overcast conditions, but the eastern route was clear after cloud lifted from Mount Lorette after 1000, although cloud lingered on the western route. Winds were light to moderate SW aloft and generally light in the valley and the temperature rose to 10C from a low of -2C. Raptor movement was slow but steady after 1013 but no birds moved after 1738. A male American Kestrel at 1642 was the first for the year [#84], 3 days later than the long-term average arrival date. (14.75 hours: 746.6) BAEA 1 (199), SSHA 2 (32), NOGO 3 (19), RTHA 4 (45), GOEA 20 (2054), AMKE 1 (1), MERL 1(13), UU 1 (3) TOTAL 33 (2397)