February 26 [Day 11] (Valley View site) The temperature rose to a season high 7C at 1400 from a low of -2C and was still 3C at 1800. Ground winds were generally light and mainly SW except at 1000 when they gusted to 25 km/h, and ridge winds were moderate W all day. Cloud cover was a beautiful mixture of 20-100% lenticular, altocumulus and cirrus providing excellent observation conditions all day. Conditions appeared ideal for raptor migration but the first bird, an adult Golden Eagle, did not appear until 1159 and by 1600 only 10 migrants had been logged. Between 1600 and 1700, however, 11 birds moved, 4 more between 1700 and 1800 and for the first time this season, 2 Golden Eagles after 1800 with the last going north at 1804. The total of 27 migrant raptors is the highest ever February count at the site, as is the total of 5 Rough-legged Hawks that moved between 1608 and 1745. The 12 Bald Eagles comprised 10 adults, 1 subadult and 1 juvenile, while the 9 Golden Eagles were 8 adults and 1 subadult. A European Starling flying high to the north at 1625 was the first for the season [#24] and a first February record, and the total of 20 bird species recorded today was the highest so far. Impressive was a count of 255 Common Ravens, most of which moved high to the W after 1600, presumably going to roost. 11 hours (120), BAEA 12 (56), NOGO 1 (5), RLHA 5 (9), GOEA 9 (34) TOTAL 27 (105)