November 7 [Day 46] (Bill Wilson) The temperature reached a high of 4C at 1200 and 1300 from a morning low of 0C, but fell to -1C at 1625 when steady snow terminated the count. Ground winds were SW 2-6 km/h until 1100 after which they varied between SE and SW 5-15 gusting to 28 km/h for the rest of the day, while ridge winds were moderate to strong SW creating snow plumes. Cloud cover was initially 70% altostratus and cumulus that quickly reduced to 10% at 0800 before gradually increasing to 100% stratus at 1300 which persisted for the rest of the day. The western ridges were clear until 1200 after which they gradually clouded-in, while the east was clear to 1530 after which they became shrouded from the north with the passage of a cold front and all ridges were obscured by 1625. Snow started at 1530 that became steady by 1625. The day started promisingly with the first Golden Eagle recorded at 0800 which was the first of 9 birds (4 Bald and 5 Golden Eagles) seen between 0800 and 0900 This, however, proved to be the busiest hour of the day, although by 1200 25 migrant eagles had been counted. Movement slowed markedly in the afternoon and when the last Golden Eagle went south at 1535 the day's count was 31: 13 Bald Eagles (10a,1j,2u) and 18 Golden Eagles (10a,1j,2u). Very few other birds were seen including 2 American Dippers, 1 Pine Grosbeak and 2 Common Redpolls.

9.33 hours (474.92) BAEA 13 (118), GOEA 18 (2623) TOTAL 31 (2963)

 

The further adventures of “Elaine” Elaine continues to move very slowly to the south and is presently about 10 km east of the central part of Canyon Ferry Lake.