October 27 [Day 36] (Joel Duncan) The temperature at 0900 was -10C, rose to a high of -4C between 1400 and 1800, and was -5C at 1830. Ground winds were light NE, occasionally gusting to 12km/h, while ridge winds were moderate SW probably becoming light after 1700. Initial cloud cover was 100% low stratus that obscured all the ridges, that began to break at 1000 and by 1100 had reduced to 30% cumulus, altostratus and cirrus. By 1500 cloud had again increased to 70% and by the end of the day was 90% altostratus, cumulus and cirrus. With the exception of the high peaks to the west, all ridges were clear by 1100. Despite apparent ideal migration conditions after 1100, the first migrant, a Golden Eagle, was not seen until 1311 and the last two of the day’s 22 Golden Eagles (13a,7j,2u) set down to roost on the Fisher Range ridge at 1803. All the eagles appeared at the northern end of the Fisher Range and moved to the SE either at ridge level or against the face of the mountain, and maximum hourly movement was 9 birds between 1500 and 1600. Other birds in the flight were 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and the season’s 5th Peregrine Falcon, a juvenile bird. Waterfowl movement was confined to 42 Mallards in two flocks flying high to the south, and other birds included 1 Northern Shrike, 1 Song Sparrow, 1 White-throated Sparrow, 3 Dark-eyed Juncos and 18 Common Redpolls.

9.5 hours (382.34) BAEA 1 (62), RLHA 1 (56), GOEA 22 (2273), PEFA 1 (5) TOTAL 25 (2541)

The further adventures of “Elaine” The cloud that has enveloped the Livingstone Range for about a week finally lifted and allowed Elaine to travel south along its entire length, crossing our Piitaistakis-South Livingstone site en route, before moving down to the Beaver Mines Lake area. She then crossed the Continental Divide into SE British Columbia and moved south into northern Montana on the Clark Range, roosting for the night just south of the international border.