March 17 [Day 29] (Valley View site) It was a strange day of weather with a morning temperature low of 3C that fell to 1.5C at 1100 during a period of snow flurries, rose to a high of 9.5C at 1400, fell to 0C during a period of wet snow at 1600, rose again to 5C before falling to 2.5C at 1900. Ground winds were W-SW all day gusting close to 70 km/h early in the morning and gradually moderating throughout the day, and ridge winds were strong W to 1600 after which they became moderate. Cloud cover was 100-30% cumulus with stratocumulus periodically moving east from the Continental Divide and partially obscuring the ridges in snow squalls, and between 1525 and 1610 a period of wet snow completely obscured all the ridges. Not surprisingly raptor movement was slow in getting underway with the first Golden Eagle not appearing until 1021 and by 1300 only 5 birds had gone north. Movement gradually increased throughout the afternoon with 37 of the days 69 migrants occurring after 1700, including 7 of the day’s Bald Eagles. Only eagles moved today with the flight comprising 9 adult Bald Eagles and 60 adult Golden Eagles. At 1627 the two resident Golden Eagles copulated on the high point of the ridge and remained perched side-by-side for 6 minutes until the next migrant Golden Eagle moved north just below them at which point the male rose high, displayed vigorously and escorted the migrant to the north for several hundred metres. 12.16 hours (329.3) BAEA 9 (212), GOEA 60 (890) TOTAL 69 (1152)

Mount Lorette [Day 17] (Cliff Hansen) Mount Lorette avoided the snow and the temperature was 0C until 1100, rose to 4C at 1400 and gradually fell to 2C at 1800. Ground winds were W-SW 5-10 km/h all day, gusting to 25 km/h up to 1100, ridge winds were strong SW-W becoming moderate after 1700, and cloud cover was 90-30% cumulus giving good observing conditions all day. The only migrants were again eagles with 3 adult Bald Eagles and 70 Golden Eagles (50a,3j,17u) moving between 1006 and 1728, with most birds moving high above the Fisher Range until the late afternoon when they moved high overhead above the central part of the Kananaskis Valley. A total of 104 Canada Geese also migrated high to the NE and E in 5 flocks. 10 hours (185.7) BAEA 3 (39), GOEA 70 (597) TOTAL 73 (663)