Introduction This is the 20th consecutive season that RMERF has conducted at least one fall count in the Front Ranges of the Rocky Mountains. In 1992 an extensive reconnaissance count of 33 days was made at Mount Lorette and subsequently full counts (75 to 101 days) were conducted there up to 2005, with the exceptions of 1997 when a full count occurred at Plateau Mountain, and 2002 when circumstances limited observations at Lorette to only 14 days. From 2006 to 2009 the principal observation site was moved to the Piitaistakis-South Livingstone ridge near the Crowsnest Pass, during which time daily comparative counts of around 40-45 days were conducted at Mount Lorette timed to coincide with the main movement of Golden Eagles. Unfortunately, this season we are again unable to conduct a count at the Piitaistakis-South Livingstone site but we will be doing reconnaissance counts there, to which the general public is invited, from a new site near the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre every weekend during the month of October. Details of access to the site (which does not entail a 300m climb!) are on our website. Again we are conducting an extended count at the Mount Lorette (Hay Meadow) site from September 20 to November 10. Cliff Hanson is organizing the count and welcomes visitors to the site. If you are interested in volunteering as a “Skysweeper” (no previous experience needed: just good eyes and binoculars) or as an Observer please contact Cliff at 403- 673-2422.

September 20 [Day 1] (Cliff Hansen, assisted by Kevin Barker) It was a chilly start to the count with a temperature of -4C at 0700 which fell to -5.5C at 0900 before rising to a high of 16C at 1600 and remained at 10C at 1900. Ground winds were calm to 0900 and were subsequently variable SSW-E for the rest of the day gusting to 20 km/h around 1500, while ridge winds reported from the Environment Canada weather station on the Nakiska Ridgetop on Mount Allan to the west of the site were light in the morning becoming SW-SSW gusting to 40 km/h by late afternoon. It was cloudless all day with only a trace of cumulus cloud developing well to the west after 1800. The season's first migrant raptor was an adult Bald Eagle at 1128 and the first 2 Golden Eagles moved at 1154. The last of the day's 5 Golden Eagles was seen at 1313 and the last raptor was an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk at 1749. The first day's count comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk and 5 Golden Eagles (3a,1j,1u). Passerines at the site included 1 Say's Phoebe, 12 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 American Pipit and 12 White-winged Crossbills; 22 Elk were in the Meadow with males were bugling in the early morning and Mourning Cloak butterflies were very common.

12 hours (12) BAEA 2 (2), SSHA 1 (1), GOEA 5 (5) TOTAL 8 (8)