February 28 [Day 13] (Valley View site) (Doug and Teresa Dolman and Denise Cocciolone-Amatto) It was another warm day with the temperature rising to 8C from a low of -1C, and it was still 4.5C at 1800. Ground winds were mainly SW up to 20 km/h, becoming light or calm after 1700, ridge winds appeared to be W moderate also becoming light after 1700, and it was cloudless until 1600 after which 10-30% ephemeral cirrus cloud developed. A total of 30 migrant raptors moved between 1101 and 1708, which is the highest February single-day count ever at the site. The flight comprised 14 adult Bald Eagles, the season’s first Sharp-shinned Hawk [bird species # 26] at 1146, which is the earliest ever at the site and17 days earlier than the previous earliest record, 14 Golden Eagles (11a,1sa,2j) which is the highest February count ever at the site, and a single Prairie Falcon. Maximum movement was 9 birds between 1400 and 1500, and 7 birds between 1500 and 1600. Two Rock Pigeons soaring over the Piitaistakis Ridge at 0948 were new for February and the 25th bird species recorded this season, and a Northern Pygmy-Owl persistently sang close to the site after 1645. 11.16 hours (142.3 hours) BAEA 14 (75), SSHA 1 (1), GOEA 14 (56), PRFA 1 (2) TOTAL 30 (150)
February summary Despite poor weather during the early part of the count we spent 13 days (142.3 hours) in the field during the month, the days and hours being 23.8% and 37.6% above 2008-09 average respectively. The combined species count of 150 is a new high count for the month and 31.58% above average, and new monthly high counts were established for Bald Eagle (75, +33.9%), Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 (new for the month), Northern Goshawk (7, +180%), Rough-legged Hawk (9, +100%) and Prairie Falcon (2, +100%). The Golden Eagle total of 56 was 13.13% above average and was 8 fewer than last year’s record February count. Gyrfalcon, which was recorded in 2008, was not seen during February this year.

February 27 [Day 12] (Valley View site) (Bill Wilson) It was the warmest day so far this season with the temperature reaching 9C at 1300 from a morning low of 4C, and it was still 5C at 1800. Ground winds were very variable, mainly light to mid afternoon and strengthening to 25 km/h after 1600 and ridge and upper winds were moderate W all day. Cloud cover was 100% cumulus and altostratus to noon, thinning to 50-90% with development of cirrus cloud in the afternoon. Raptor movement got off to a brisk start with 2 Bald Eagles, 2 Northern Goshawks and a Golden Eagle moving between 0942 and 1000. Subsequent movement, however, was persistent but sparse with no further hourly count exceeding 2 birds and the last bird, a Bald Eagle, went north at 1710. The 5 Bald Eagles and 2 goshawks seen were all adults while the 8 Golden Eagles comprised 5 adults, 1 subadult and 2 juveniles. 11.16 hours (131.2) BAEA 5 (61), NOGO 2 (7), GOEA 8 (42) TOTAL 15 (120)

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)

February 25 [Day 10] (Valley View site) The temperature rose to 6C at 1500 from a low of -1C and fell to 2C at 1800. Ground winds were mainly NW in the morning and SW in the afternoon gusting to 30 km/h and becoming mainly light after 1400. Ridge winds were WNW moderate to strong all day, and cloud cover ranged from 40-80% cumulus, altocumulus and lenticular giving excellent observing conditions for much of the day. An adult Golden Eagle at 0958 was the earliest so far this season, but the second migrant, a subadult Bald Eagle, did not occur until 1205 after which movement was very sporadic and involved only single birds until 1713 when 2 adult Bald Eagles went N together and were the last migrants of the day. The flight comprised 9 Bald Eagles (6a,1sa,2j), a light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 3 adult Golden Eagles and the season’s first migratory Prairie Falcon at 1408. 11.25 hours (108.8) BAEA 9 (44), RLHA 1 (4), GOEA 3 (25), PRFA 1 (1) TOTAL 14 (78)

February 24 [Day 9] (Valley View site) It was A mostly gloomy day with 90-100% altostratus and altocumulus cloud forming a Chinook Arch which only began to break down after 1600 when the cloud cover reduced to 50-60% and allowed a few sunny periods followed by a spectacular sunset. The temperature ranged between 1C and 3C, but NW to N ground winds gusting to 30 km/h made it feel much cooler before the winds decreased and backed to more westerly after 1600. Ridge winds were W to WNW moderate to strong becoming moderate after 1600 and upper winds were strong W for most of the day. There were some very light snow flurries between 1230 and 1530 with the ridges to the south looking rather fuzzy during this period. Raptor migration was confined to 5 adult Golden Eagles that moved between 1213 and 1418, and a resident pair of Prairie Falcons crossed the valley towards the east at 1105. The last Golden Eagle of the day at 1418 was gliding high to the north above the Piitaistakis Ridge when it suddenly parachuted vertically down and hung in the wind less than a metre above a large full-curl ram Bighorn Sheep that was moving to the south in the snow on the ridge-top. The ram was visibly agitated by the close proximity of the eagle and after about 40 seconds of being harassed it reared high on its back legs and aimed a butt at the bird that was directly above it. At this the eagle quickly reassessed the situation, kited vertically up and continued its flight to the north. Two Canada Geese flying to the NE at 1728 were the first for the season [species # 23]. With rapid clearing after 1600 and rising barometric pressure tomorrow promises to be a much better day for raptor movement, but the little drama described above more than compensated for today’s thin trickle of birds. 11.16 (97.58) GOEA 5 (22) TOTAL 5 (64)

February 23 [Day 8] (Valley View site) The temperature rose to a high of 6C for the third consecutive day, from a low of -1C, and was still 2.5C at 1800. Ground winds were NW-W gusting to 50 km/h in the morning, diminishing to 15-20 km/h in the afternoon and becoming WNW to W after 1600. Ridge winds were strong WNW to NNW to 1400 and then became moderate to strong WNW to W, and the upper flow appeared to be strong W all day. It was cloudless until 1000 when cirrus cloud began to develop reaching 80% at 1300, and for the rest of the day there was a spectacular mixture of 30-100% lenticular, altocumulus and altostratus high-wing cloud that gave an excellent backdrop to locate and identify high-flying raptors. It was the most extended raptor movement seen so far this season with 10 birds of 4 species moving between a Golden Eagle at 1041 and 2 Golden Eagles at 1755, with 7 birds moving after 1700. The flight comprised 10 Bald Eagles (6 adults, 2 subadults and 2 juveniles), 2 adult Northern Goshawks, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 6 adult Golden Eagles. The last 3 days have yielded 51 migrant raptors which is good movement for February. 11.08 hours (86.42) BAEA 10 (35), NOGO 2 (4), RLHA 1 (3), GOEA 6 (17) TOTAL 19 (59)

February 22 [Day 7] (Valley View site) The temperature rose to 6C from a low of -9.5C and was still 2C at 1800. Ground winds were light and mainly SW to 1100, increasing to moderate SW to 1500 after which the became mainly N gusting to 50 km/h. Ridge winds appeared to be WNW light to 1000, moderate to 1530 after which they became moderate to strong. Cloud cover was 5-40% very thin cirrostratus and cirrus with persistent condensation trails from over-flying aircraft that indicated that the high flow remained northerly. Raptor movement started spectacularly at 1302 with 4 adult Bald Eagles soaring together in front of the moon that was just rising above the ridge to the east, and they were followed rapidly by 5 more Bald Eagles (4 adults and a subadult), a Northern Goshawk and 5 Golden Eagles (3 adults and 2 juveniles) before the end of the hour. The movement was not sustained, however, and the next 2 hours produced only 3 more Bald Eagles (2 adults and 1 late subadult) and 2 adult Golden Eagles with the last moving at 1555, with the increasingly strong northerly winds appearing to slow and then stop the flow of birds. A northern Pygmy-Owl singing south of the site at 0940 was the first for the season and the 22nd bird species recorded so far. 11 hours (75.34) BAEA 12 (25), NOGO 1 (2), GOEA 7 (11) TOTAL 20 (40)