November 30 [Day 95] (Bill Wilson) This was the latest date that we have observed on the ridge where the temperature rose to 1C at 1400 from an early morning low of -3.5C, falling to 0C after 1600. Winds were consistently W all day generally 30-40 km/h gusting between 50 and 60 km/h. Cloud cover was a mixture of cumulus, cirrus and altostratus ranging from 5% at 1000 to 95% by the end of the day. The day got off to a good start with 3 Bald Eagles moving at 0807 and with a total of 8 Bald Eagles and 2 Golden Eagles recorded before 0900. Movement then slowed until between 1519 and 1638 during which 10 Bald Eagles and 3 Rough-legged Hawks moved. The total of 32 migrant raptors was the highest count since November 21 and the Bald Eagle count of 25 was the 3rd highest of the season behind counts of 26 on November 2 and October 24. We had planned to make this the final day of the count, but today’s high total and the fact that a northern front was forecast to pass late on December 1 strongly indicated that a good count, especially of Bald Eagles, might be expected moving ahead of the front tomorrow. Despite my best efforts (I was on the phone until 2345) I was unable to secure an observer so today did, unfortunately, prove to be the last day of the fall 2008 season after all. Passerines included 4 Red-breasted Nuthatches (bringing the season’s total to 2,792 birds the vast majority of which were migrants), 2 Bohemian Waxwings, 4 Pine Grosbeaks, 23 White-winged Crossbills and 1 Common Redpoll. 9.5 hours (1027.5) BAEA 25 (466), RLHA 3 (97), GOEA 4 (5209) TOTAL 32 (8238)
November summary We spent a total of 29 (282) days observing during the month (with November 4 the only full day lost to inclement weather), with the days and hours being 9.4% and 14.8% above the 2006-7 average respectively. The combined species count for November of 759 is the second highest at the site but 7.9% below average: the November count in 2006 was 941. The only species establishing a new monthly high count was Peregrine Falcon (2, +300%) although the 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks equaled the count in 2006 (+20%). Rough-legged Hawk (27, +5.9%) was the second highest count for the month, just 1 less than last year’s count, but several unidentified Buteos late in the month were almost certainly of this species. Other species were below average for the month, mainly reflecting high counts in 2006: Bald Eagle 247 (second highest count, -1.4%), Northern Goshawk 23 (-27%) and Gyrfalcon 1 (-81.8%). Northern Harrier, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin and (migratory) Prairie Falcon were not recorded this year but have occurred in small numbers in previous November counts, while the remaining species have never been recorded in November. All categories of unidentified raptors were the highest ever for the month reflecting the inexperience of some of the observers: UA 2 (+300%), UB 6 (not previously recorded in November), UE 21 (+950%) and UF 1 (+100%).

FINAL COUNT, AUGUST 25 TO NOVEMBER 30 (variance from 2006-7 average in parentheses)

DAYS 95 (+3.3%)
HOURS 1037 (+6.9%)

TURKEY VULTURE (TUVU) 0 (=)
OSPREY (OSPR) 27 (+92.9%)
BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 466 (-21%)
NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 49 (-26%)
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 1452 (+17.8%)
COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 235 (+14.4%)
NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 245 (+53.1%)
Unidentified Accipiter (UA) 59 (+15.7%)
BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 20 (+73.9%)
SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 3 (+100%)
RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 209 (-11%)
FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 1 (-60%)
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 97 (-13%)
Unidentified Buteo (UB) 11 (+175%)
GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 5209 (+5.8%)
Unidentified eagle (UE) 32 (+256%)
AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 18 (-49%)
MERLIN (MERL) 32 (-11%)
GYRFALCON (GYRF) 3 (-60%)
PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 35 (+32.1%)
PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 17 (+6.25%)
Unidentified Falco (UF) 3 (+20%)
Unidentified raptor (UU) 15 (+42.9%)

TOTAL 8238 (+6.26%)

Principal Observers: Peter Sherrington (59 days), Bill Wilson (14 days), Vance Mattson (10 days), Denise Coccioloni-Amatto (5.5 days), Joel Duncan (2.5 days), Raymond Toal (1.5 days) and Dawn Hall, Doug & Teresa Dolmen, and Nel van Kamer (all 1 day). The Principal Observers were skillfully assisted by Denise Coccioloni-Amatto (24 days), Dawn Hall (11 days), Doug and Teresa Dolman (10 days), Keith McClary (10 days), Raymond Toal (10 days), Nel Van Kamer (7 days), Pat Lucas (7 Days), Karola Michalsky (6 days), Vance Mattson (4 days), Paul Vandervelde (3 days), Joel Duncan (2 days) and Peter Poole (2 days), and many of the other 250+ people who visited the site during the season.

Acknowledgements: To the members and supporters of the Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation for their continuing financial support, and to members of the Crowsnest Conservation Society for their support and many contributions to the success of the project. To the volunteer observers who did a marvelous job of completing the count after October 25 when, because of my wife Barbara’s failing health, I left to join her in Calgary. And to Barbara, my wife of almost 40 years, who died early in the morning of December 27 after living with breast cancer and four subsequent metastases for six and a half years. Without Barbara’s love and support over the last 17 years I could not have given up my original profession to study Golden Eagle migration, there would have been no Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation and so much of what we now know about raptor movement in the Canadian Rockies would likely not have come to light. The debt that we all owe her is uncountable. Thank you, darling Barbara.


LORETTE

February 17, 1997

For today
the snow’s softly deep
and the air’s plumply warm.
This Chinook seems like
very early spring;
the soft pocked ice
the peeking patches of
brown muddy grass.
Dogwoods’ tips gleam raspberry red
by the chalk grey aspen stand.
A dipper slips into the water
and steps back onto the soft bank.
We look along the rocky tops
hoping
for journeying eagles,
but for now only the ravens
play there.
A goshawk’s swiftness
catches my eye
as it makes for
a certain branch.
I stand in the snow
and breathe.

Barbara Sherrington

July 29, 1947 – December 27, 2008

November 29 [Day 94] (Bill Wilson) On the Piitaistakis Ridge the temperature only rose to 0C between 1200 and 1600 from a low of -2C, but wind-chills were considerably lower resulting from W winds generally between 30 and 50 km/h gusting to 100 km/h. Early morning cloud cover of 90% altostratus and cumulus thinned to 5-10% after 1100. The high winds were not conducive to raptor movement and only 3 adult Golden Eagles were recorded, all between 0954 and 1044. A total of 46 Snow Buntings in two flocks was the highest ever daily count at the site, and other passerines included 4 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 62 Bohemian Waxwings, 2 Pine Grosbeaks and 1 Common Redpoll. 9.5 hours (1027.5) GOEA 3 (5205) TOTAL 3 (5205)

November 28 [Day 93] (Raymond Toal) Unfortunately, the observer scheduled for the morning shift failed to arrive so the day’s count, conducted at the Valley View site, did not commence until 1200. The temperature was 2C at noon thereafter falling steadily to -4C at 1700, ground winds were N-NE gusting to 30 km/h and appeared to be strong westerlies at ridge level, and cloud cover was 50-100% altostratus and cirrus. Despite the favourable observing conditions only 2 migrant raptors were recorded: an adult Golden Eagle at 1305 and an adult Northern Goshawk at 1335. A Northern Pygmy-Owl sang at 1340. 5 hours (1018) NOGO 1 (245), GOEA 1 (5202) TOTAL 2 (8203)

November 27 [Day 92] (Vance Mattson) Back on the ridge again the temperature rose to -1C from 1300 to 1500 from a low of -4C and W winds initially 20-25 gusting 40 km/h steadily increased throughout the day reaching 55 to 60 gusting 70 km/h by 1700. It was cloudless until 1000 after which 50-80% thin altostratus developed which thickened and increased to 90% after 1400 producing both good observing conditions and a spectacular sunset. The first migrant raptor, an adult Golden Eagle, did not appear until 1338 after which movement was slow but steady until 1642 when the 11th migrant of the day, a juvenile Bald Eagle, flew south. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly an adult Peregrine Falcon that flew south just to the west of the ridge at 1347 producing the latest fall record ever for the species on an RMERF count (the previous latest was November 14, 1995 at Mount Lorette), and raising the count total to 35 which equals last fall’s record RMERF count for the species. Only 3 species of passerine were seen, including 23 Pine Grosbeaks. 9.5 hours (1013) BAEA 6 (441), NOGO 1 (244), GOEA 3 (5201), PEFA 1 (35) TOTAL 11 (8201)

November 26 [Day 91] (Vance Mattson) About 10 cm of heavy snow fell before 1000 after which the ridges slowly began to clear, with the Livingstone Range to the north not fully visible until 1330. Because of the snow Vance decided to view from the Valley View site where the temperature ranged from -2C to 2C, the westerly winds were mainly light (occasionally moderate at ridge level), and the 100% low stratus cloud of the morning quickly cleared to 0% after 1400. The day’s only raptor migrants were an adult Bald Eagle at 1402 and an adult Golden Eagle at 1438. The highlight of the day however was a single Mourning Cloak seen in the afternoon, which was the first butterfly ever recorded during a count in November, made even more remarkable by its being seen flying over snow covered ground with an air temperature of 2C! Probably the intense sunshine that followed the rapid clearing of the cloud cover after 1400 produced enough local warming to put it on the wing. A flock of 5 Wild Turkeys seen on the western flank of the Livingstone Ridge was also a first November record for the species. 9.5 hours (1003.5) BAEA 1 (435), GOEA 1 (5198) TOTAL 2 (8190)

November 25 [Day 90] Nel was the principal observer until 1000 allowing me to drive from Calgary, and we both watched from the Valley View site. Migration and observing conditions were good with the temperature reaching 7C at 1400 from lows at either end of the day of 1C, ground winds were generally W 10-15 gusting to 25 km/h, with ridge winds moderate to strong all day, and a strong Chinook altostratus arch with cirrus provided 60-90% cloud cover producing hazy sunshine all day. The day’s first Golden Eagle moved at 0940, and two more plus a Bald Eagle went south before 1100, but 10 of the day’s 17 migrants were seen between 1505 and 1658 when the last of the day’s 11 Bald Eagles (10 adults and 1 juvenile) was seen. A Northern Pygmy-Owl sang briefly at 0930. 8.75 hours (993.97) BAEA 11 (434), NOGO 1 (243), GOEA 5 (5197) TOTAL 17 (8188)

November 24 [Day 89] (Joel Duncan and Denise Cocciolone-Amatto) The temperature at the Valley View site ranged from -2C to 8C at 1300 falling back to 0C at 1700, ground winds were generally W-SW 15-20 gusting 30 km/h and were moderate to strong at the ridge level, and cloud cover was altostratus, lenticular and cirrus typical of strong upper winds, generally 50-90% diminishing to 10% by 1700, producing good observing conditions. The first migrant Golden Eagle occurred at 0851 and by 1000 5 Golden Eagles had been logged, but the rest of the day only produced 4 more migrants with the last bird, an unaged Golden Eagle, passing at 1520. A single Evening Grosbeak was only the third bird of the season. 9 hours (985.22) BAEA 1 (423), RLHA 1 (94), GOEA 7 (5192) TOTAL 9 (8171)

November 23 [Day 88] (Bill Wilson) On the ridge the temperature rose to -2C from a low of -6C and winds were again W generally 20-45 km/h occasionally reaching 65 km/h. Cloud cover in the morning was 0-20% altostratus, increasing to 40-70% in the afternoon. The first of the day’s raptor migrants was a very dark Rough-legged Hawk at 0911 followed shortly by an adult Bald Eagle at 0936 and thereafter there was a slow but steady movement until the passage of the last adult Bald Eagle at 1459. Eleven of the day’s 13 migrants were eagles: 6 adult Bald and 5 Golden (4 adults and 1 juvenile). The highlight of the passerine movement was the season’s second Northern Shrike. 10 hours (976.22) BAEA 6 (422), RLHA 1 (93), NOGO 1 (242), GOEA 5 (5185) TOTAL 13 (8162)

November 22 [Day 87] (Bill Wilson) Back on the ridge again Bill experienced temperatures that ranged from -4C rising to -3C from 1100 to 1500 and back to -4C thereafter. Winds were generally W (occasionally WSW or SW) 40-70 km/h occasionally gusting 80-100 km/h with a highest measured gust of 116 km/h. Cloud cover was 10-30% cumulus to 1000 and 80-90% cumulus for the rest of the day producing good observation conditions, and there were occasional light now flurries in mid-afternoon. Raptor movement was again good for the time of year with steady migration between the day’s first Golden Eagle at 0833 and the last two Golden Eagles at 1630 and the last two Bald Eagles at 1636, the movement peaking at 6 birds from 0900 to 1000 and again at 1400 to 1500. Passerines included a single flock of 100 White-winged Crossbills, 30 Pine Grosbeaks and a 10 minute movement of 71 Common Ravens flying westwards to roost between 1503 and 1515. 10 hours (966.22) BAEA 15 (416), GOEA 11 (5180) TOTAL 26 (8149)

November 21 [Day 86] (Nel van Kamer) With the assistance of Keith and Karola, Nel watched from the Valley View site where the temperature was 0C at 0800, rose to 10C at 1200 before falling again to 0C after 1500. Winds were NW, or occasionally SW 10-15 gusting 30 km/h, and were probably strong W to NE at ridge level all day. Cloud cover was 10% cirrus at 0800 increasing to 90% cirrus and cumulus at 1100 reducing to 50% altostratus, cirrus and cumulus after 1300. Light conditions in the morning made identification of high flying birds difficult, but afternoon observation conditions were good. Movement was steady all day between 0835 and 1653 with peak movement of 10 birds between 0900 and 1000 and 30 of the day’s 63 migrants moving before 1200. Initially 36 of the birds were classified at unidentified eagles, although the observers felt that most were probably Golden Eagles, so I have reclassified the majority of them as Golden Eagles of unknown age. This is also consistent with the species distribution seen during this period. This is the latest date that an RMERF combined species count has exceeded 60 birds. 9 hours (956.22) BAEA 14 (401), UB 2 (11), GOEA 41 (5169), UE 6 (32) TOTAL 63 (8123)

November 19 [Day 84] (Vance Mattson) The ridges and mountains were completely obscured until mid afternoon when the Piitaistakis Ridge partially cleared but conditions still made raptor migration improbable. The temperature was -1C all day with the exception of 1200 when it dropped to -2C, and it was calm at the valley bottom. Freezing rain at 0730 gave way to wet snow until 0900 after which there was no further precipitation. Vance’s persistence was rewarded at 1445 when the year’s first Short-eared Owl (the season’s 101st species, only the second record for the study area and the first for November) appeared out of the gloom and hunted around the Valley View site before disappearing to the north. 9 hours (938.72) No migrant raptors (8059)

November 18 [Day 83] Dawn Hall/Raymond Toal) Observations were again made from the Valley View site with the assistance of Nel and Keith. It was a warm day with the temperature 8C at 0800 peaking at 12C at 1100 and gradually cooling to 5C at 1700. Valley bottom winds were W generally 10-20 gusting 35 km/h but were again mainly strong at ridge level. The cloud pattern was the antithesis of that of yesterday with 20% cirrus at 0800 increasing to 50% cirrus and altostratus at noon then thickening to 100% stratocumulus after 1500 although the peaks and ridges remained clear. It was an excellent raptor movement for the latter half of November with birds moving high to the west of the ridge all day. The combined species count of 42 is the latest that we have counted at least 40 birds and the Golden Eagle total of 30 was also the latest that we have reached that mark. Movement started fairly early with a Golden Eagle at 0808 and by 1100 21 birds had been counted, 18 of which were Golden Eagles. Subsequent movement was slower but steady with 4 of the day’s 7 Bald Eagles moving between 1600 and 1645. A small unidentified Accipiter moving between 0900 and 1000 was probably a Sharp-shinned Hawk which would have made it the latest record for the site by one day. 9.33 hours (929.72) BAEA 7 (387), UA 1 (62), GOEA 30 (5127), UE 4 (26) TOTAL 42 (8059)

November 17 [Day 82] (Dawn Hall/Raymond Toal) Observations were made from the Valley View site with the assistance of Nel and Keith. A starting temperature of -1C quickly warmed to 12C by noon before gradually cooling to 6C by 1700. Valley bottom winds were W generally 10-25 km/h, but the winds on the ridge appeared to be strong (40 km/k +) all day. Cloud cover was 90% altostratus until 1100 making aging of the day’s first 7 Golden Eagles impossible, but then thinned to 70% altocumulus and after 1300 was 50% cirrus providing an excellent observation backdrop. It was another good November raptor migration similar to that of November 15 with only 3 adult Bald Eagles but 26 Golden Eagles that moved fairly steadily between 0820 and 1630. Recently most of the Golden Eagles recorded have been adults, but today of the 19 birds to which ages could be assigned 3 were subadults and 7 juveniles. Two Buteos also moved in the morning when the light conditions precluded specific identification. The combined species total has now exceeded 8,000 for the second successive year, and we reached this mark 5 days later than in 2007. Just before noon an apparent non-migrant juvenile Golden Eagle launched an attack on two Bighorn rams on Ent Ridge that simultaneously reared up to fend off the attack, after which the eagle flapped off to the north. 9.25 hours (920.39) BAEA 3 (380), UB 2 (9), GOEA (5097) TOTAL 31 (8017)

November 16 [Day 81] (Bill Wilson) The ridges were completely obscured from the start and Bill moved down from the ridge to the Valley View site at 1030 when the temperature was still -5C and the wind E 5-10 gusting 15 km/h. Everything remained occluded until 1350 when the ridges cleared until 1520 after which the clouds lowered again obscuring the mountains for the rest of the day. Apart from some very light flurries between 1130 and 1230 there was no precipitation, which was in contrast to the snowy conditions that prevailed in the Front Ranges to the north. The only migrant raptor was an adult Bald Eagle at 1411 and passerines noted on the ridge before 1030 included 1 Black-capped Chickadee, 13 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 3 Snow Buntings (just the second records for the season), 3 Pine Grosbeaks, 40 White-winged Crossbills and 5 Common Redpolls. 9.67 hours (911.14) BAEA 1 (377) TOTAL 1 (7986)

November 15 [Day 80] (Bill Wilson) The weather was somewhat more pleasant than yesterday’s with the temperature climbing to 3C from a low of -4C, and W winds that shifted to WNW after 1400 generally only 30-40 km/h although occasional gusts reached 60-65 km/h. Cloud cover was initially 100% stratocumulus later thinning to 70% stratocumulus, cumulus and cirrus providing good viewing conditions. For the 3rd straight day there was steady raptor movement with 36 migrants seen from 1000 when the first of the day’s 25 Golden Eagles came through to 1626 when the last Golden Eagle was seen. The Golden Eagle total is the highest in 6 days and comprised 21 adults, 1 subadult and 3 juvenile birds. Surprisingly only 4 Bald Eagles (3 adults and 1 juvenile) were seen, and Northern Goshawks (3) and Rough-legged Hawks (3) continue to move south in low numbers. Passerines recorded included 6 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 100 Bohemian Waxwings, 32 Pine Grosbeaks, 10 White-winged Crossbills, 5 Common Redpolls and a single flock of 40 Pine Siskins providing the site’s first record in 8 days and the highest count in 18 days. 10.5 hours (901.47) BAEA 4 (376), NOGO 3 (241), RLHA 3 (92), GOEA 25 (5071), UE 1 (22) TOTAL 36 (7985)

November 14 [Day 79] It was a cool day on the ridge with the temperature climbing to -4C from a low of -8C, although with NW to W winds below 30 km/h, only 10-20% cirrostratus cloud cover and plenty of sunshine before noon it was quite pleasant. In the afternoon, however, the wind gradually increased reaching 80 km/h after 1600, the cloud thickened to mainly altostratus reaching 90% after 1500 and the 1 to 2 cm of fresh snow that fell yesterday was liberally blown around making for somewhat less pleasant observation conditions. Raptor movement did not get underway until 1018 when the first Bald Eagle went south and the next birds weren’t seen until 1112, but movement was then fairly steady peaking at 25 migrants between 1200 and 1300 (18 Bald Eagles and 7 Golden Eagles), with 8 the following hour but only a single Northern Goshawk after 1400 when the wind speed increased. The 23 Bald Eagles is the highest count since November 3 and is the 3rd highest for the season. Non-raptors included 25 Canada Geese flying west at 1115, 1 Northern Pygmy-Owl, 28 Mountain Chickadees, 10 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 112 Bohemian Waxwings, 43 Pine Grosbeaks, 55 White-winged Crossbills and 37 Common Redpolls. The fresh snow provided excellent tracking conditions and, amongst the 10 mammal species identified were a Bobcat and 2 Long-tailed Weasels. 10.33 hours (890.97) BAEA 23 (372), NOGO 2 (238), RLHA 1 (89), GOEA 16 (5046) TOTAL 42 (7949)

November 13 [Day 78] (Denise Cocciolone-Amatto) Observation was from the Valley View site where the ground winds were light, initially W and then NW after 1400, but the ridge winds were W moderate to strong all day. The valley-bottom temperature ranged from 0C to 5C, and cloud cover was 30-100% altocumulus and altostratus with snow falling between 1200 and 1300. After three days of poor movement, there was a slow but steady raptor migration starting with a Golden Eagle at 0811 with 10 birds recorded before 1500 after which the pace increased peaking at 10 birds between 1600 and 1700, and the last Golden Eagle went south at 1707. Eight of the day’s 14 Golden Eagles moved between 1608 and 1643. A single flock of 10 migrating Canada Geese was recorded. 9.58 hours (880.64) BAEA 9 (349), RLHA 2 (88), GOEA 14 (5030), UE 2 (21) TOTAL 27 (7907)

November 12 [Day 77] (Vance Mattson) It rained until 1115 and Vance watched from the parking area until 1000 when he climbed to the site. The wind was again W all day, 25-30 gusting 35 km/h until noon but then increased to 60-70 gusting 80 at 1400 before gradually declining to gusts of 40 km/h at 1700. The high temperature on the ridge was 2C and cloud cover was 100% stratus all day. The ridges to the west were obscured and only showed signs of partial clearing late in the day, while the peaks of the Livingstone Range to the north remained obscured until 1400 after which they partially cleared. In short it was another dismal day and the only migrant raptor seen was an adult Bald Eagle at 1136, and probable migrant passerines were limited to 10 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 11 Pine Grosbeaks and 2 White-winged Crossbills. 9.75 hours (871.06) BAEA 1 (340) TOTAL 1 (7880)

November 11 [Day 76] (Vance Mattson) It was yet another horrendous day of strong W winds that were 60-80 gusting 90 km/h for most of the day, with temperatures that ranged from -3C to a brief high of -1C at 1400. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus with minor cumulus until noon after which it gradually diminished to 60% at 1700. Again the ridges to the W were partially obscured all day but the Livingstone Range to the N remained clear with the exception of 1400-1500 when a period of snow obscured everything, but light flurries were experienced throughout the day. Despite the conditions there was some raptor movement with the day’s only Bald Eagle moving at 0843 and 2 Golden Eagles just before 1000 gave hope for a reasonable day, but only 3 more Golden Eagles were seen, the last at 1537. All the day’s eagles were adults. Passerines included 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 14 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 16 Pine Grosbeaks, 2 White-winged Crossbills and 1 Common Redpoll. The total bird count for the season has now exceeded 35,000 birds (35,050) for the first time, comprising 100 species, the great majority of which have been migrants. 10.25 hours (861.31) BAEA 1 (339), GOEA 5 (5016) TOTAL 6 (7879)

November 10 [Day 75] (Joel Duncan) It was a difficult day with the temperature only ranging from 0C to 2C, strong WSW to W winds all day gusting to 100 km/h after 1000 and cirrostratus, altostratus cloud that lowered and thickened throughout the day from 30% to 80%. The ridges to the west were more or less obscured all day, but the Livingstone Range to the north remained clear despite light snow developing at 1700. At 1000 the wind blew the day’s data sheets high to the east (they are probably now in Saskatchewan!) and on two other occasions the telescope and tripod were blown over, but 10 hours of observation yielded only 1 non-migratory Prairie Falcon that flew north past the site at 1402. Passerines were somewhat more in evidence and included 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 63 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches (the first record of the species in 7 days), 20 Pine Grosbeaks, 3 Red Crossbills and 10 Common Redpolls. 10 hours (851.06) No migrant raptors TOTAL 0 (7873)