April 3 [Day 42] Winds were again moderate to strong WNW on the ridges all day and SW to variable in the valley. At least it was a bit warmer today with a high of 8C and a low of -2C, and there was plenty of cloud with 70-100% mainly altostratus and cumulus cover but generally thin enough to allow hazy sunshine. Raptor migration made up for relatively low numbers with the highest specific variety so far, with 8 species migrating between 0745 and 1930. Only one hour, 1500-1600 reached double figures with 12 birds moving. An adult light morph Ferruginous Hawk at 1423 was the third for the season and sets a new high for RMERF spring counts, the 2 Merlins comprised adult males of both the races columbarius and richardsonii, and the 31 Golden Eagles comprised 20 adults, 7 subadults and 4 juveniles. The resident female Golden Eagle landed on the Bluff Mountain nest at 1021, followed 3 minutes later by the male, and the both remained there until 1049, the female moving material within the nest while the male perched on the rim occasionally preening. They were also seen together on the nest at 1809 but left shortly afterwards. With the exception of 5 American Robins at 1936 there was no northward non-raptor migration, but a total of 22 Canada Geese, 4 unidentified gulls and, at 1243, a flock of 9 Common Loons migrated high across the Livingstone Range towards the ESE. A male Mountain Bluebird was only the second for the season. 12.5 hours (454.2) BAEA 8 (329), SSHA 1 (3), NOGO 2 (66), RTHA 9 (51), FEHA 1 (3), GOEA 31 (2384), UE 1 (8), MERL 2 (5), PRFA 1 (6) TOTAL 56 (2872)

Mount Lorette (Brian) The temperature reached a high of 6C from a low of -2C, ridge winds were NW light to moderate all day and altostratus/cirrostratus cloud cover ranged from 50-100% giving good observation conditions. Unfortunately only 6 Golden Eagles (5 adults, 1 subadult) were counted between 1230 and 1936, but the resident male was seen throughout the day displaying, the earliest over the northern end of the Fisher Range at 0725. 12.83 hours (380.8) GOEA 6 (1132) TOTAL 6 (1223)