October 29 [Day 38] (Cliff Hansen, assisted by Chris Hunt) The temperature remained at 0C until 0900 and briefly rose to 5.5C at 1400 before falling again to 1C at 1830. Ground winds were SW all day, light to 1200 then 5-15 gusting 25 km/h to 1800 after which they became light again. Ridge winds were SW moderate to strong with a maximum gust of 80 km/h at 1400. Cloud cover was initially 50% cumulus that diminished to 5% at 1400 giving clear blue skies to the east between 1000 and 1400, after which an altostratus arch formed giving 40-80% cloud cover for the rest of the day. A total of 35 raptors migrated slowly but steadily between 1108 and 1750, with most of the birds moving high above the Fisher Range, and the highest hourly count was 8 birds (1 Bald Eagle, 7 Golden Eagles) between 1200 and 1300. The flight comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 32 Golden Eagles (27a,2sa,2j,1u). Non raptors included a female Northern [Red-shafted] Flicker, 1 Song Sparrow, 36 Pine Grosbeaks and 63 Common Redpolls.

11 hours (437.86) BAEA 2 (95), RLHA 1 (32), GOEA 32 (3284) TOTAL 35 (3641)

Piitaistakis-South Livingstone: Frank site (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Bill Tice, Dan Lee, Phil Nicholas and David Thomas) The temperature high was 5C at 1200 and 1300 with lows of 3C at either end of the day, ground winds were W-WSW generally 5-10 gusting 25 km/h while ridge winds were strong WNW all day. Cloud cover was 30-70% cumulus to 1400 after which 80-90% cumulus, cirrus, altocumulus and lenticular cloud developed resulting in excellent observation conditions all day. The movement was very similar to that at Mount Lorette with the first Golden Eagle not appearing until 1111 with subsequent steady high to very high movement to the south above the Livingstone Range. The flight of 40 raptors comprised 6 Bald Eagles (2a,2sa,2j), 2 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, 3 adult Northern Goshawks and 29 Golden Eagles (23a,1sa,5j). The resident family of 2 adult and 1 juvenile Golden Eagles were conspicuous throughout the day with an adult bird displaying on several occasions.

7 hours BAEA 6, SSHA 2, NOGO 3, GOEA 29 TOTAL 40

The adventures of “Elaine” (Golden Eagle #78453) Elaine spent the night of October 28 at the northern end of the Livingstone Range near the Highwood Junction which meant that she passed over or close to Mount Lorette earlier that day, and she was probably one of the birds seen from the Piitaistakis-South Livingstone site today. The chances are that she is now in Montana, and if this is the case she moved through the Alberta Rockies in about 2.5 days.