November 6 [Day 45] (George Halmazna, assisted by Michael Woertman) The temperature in the Hay Meadow was -4C at 0700 and rose to 4C at 1200, while at the Lusk Creek site, to which the count was moved at 1300, the temperature rose to 6C. Ground winds were light or calm for most of the day, while ridge winds were probably moderate to strong SW-SSW. Cloud cover was initially 40% altostratus, altocumulus and lenticular, but quickly changed to 100% stratus around 1100 that brought rain and then snow to the Hay Meadow site for the rest of the day. The western ridges started to disappear in cloud at 1000 and by noon all ridges were completely obscured. At 1300 the observers moved to the Lusk Creek site where observing conditions were good until 1345 when snow began, and at 1430 the count was abandoned for the day when everything was obscured in the rain and snow. A total of 18 migrant raptors (2 adult Bald Eagles, 1 adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3 adult Northern Goshawks, 1 Rough-legged Hawk and 11 Golden Eagles (6a,1sa,1j)), were seen from the Hay Meadow site between 0752 and 1128. Lusk Creek, however, produced a spectacular concentrated movement of 112 birds between 1300 and 1420, with 94 of the birds (including 82 Golden Eagles) recorded between 1300 and 1400. The flight seen at Lusk Creek comprised 18 Bald Eagles (12a,6j) and 94 Golden Eagles (86a,2j,6u), and the birds often moved immediately overhead with up to 15 birds soaring together at one time. The combined species total of 130 is the highest ever recorded in November at Mount Lorette, as is the Golden Eagle count of 105. In fact, this is only the third time that over 100 Golden Eagles have been recorded here in November, the others being 106 on November 1, 2000 and 108 on November 8, 2009. The count of 20 Bald Eagles were also by far the highest total of the season. A number of other bird species were seen around the Hay Meadow before the weather deteriorated, including 4 Common Mergansers, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 American Three-toed Woodpecker, 5 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 15 Pine Grosbeaks, 6 Red Crossbills, 20 White-winged Crossbills, 272 Common Redpolls and 2 Pine Siskins.

7.5 hours (465.59) BAEA 20 (105), SSHA 1 (63), NOGO 3 (30), RLHA 1 (60), GOEA 105 (2605) TOTAL 130 (2932)