April 4 [Day 32] (Jim Davis) The temperature was -1C to 1100 and -2C for the rest of the day, and cloud cover was 100% stratus all day. It was calm until 0950 when NE winds developed that gusted to 40 km/h, heavy snow began to fall and the hitherto clear mountains became completely obscured in a couple of minutes. At 1000 Jim left for Lusk Creek where there was still some visibility (c500 m), snowfall was lighter and the wind NE at 10 km/h, but conditions there gradually deteriorated and the count was abandoned for the day at 1230. The only migrant raptors seen were 5 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (4 light and 1 rufous morph), 2 seen from the Hay Meadow at 0901 and 0944 and 3 at Lusk Creek at 1057, 1058 and 1109. Before the weather system arrived the almost snow-free Hay Meadow was full of feeding songbirds including 5 Canada Geese, 1 Northern Flicker, 5 Mountain Bluebirds (3 males, 2 females), 6 Varied Thrushes, 48 American Robins, 3 Bohemian Waxwings, 149 “Slate-coloured” morph Dark-eyed Juncos of the race cismontanus and 10 “Oregon” morphs. When the NE wind arrived at 0950 the birds took off en masse and within a couple of minutes the meadow was empty. 5 hours (312.33) RTHA 5 (8) TOTAL 5 (898)

The further adventures of “Elaine” Today Elaine moved about 150 km to the north and has reached the SE part of the Philip Smith Mountains near Wiseman on the Dalton Highway, 25 km WSW of Big Lake. She is now less than 100 km SSW of the area where she spent the summer last year and it appears that she will arrive there on about the same date as she did last year. Amazing!

April 3 [Day 31] (Joel Duncan, assisted by Cliff Hansen) The temperature was 2C at 0900, rose to a very pleasant 13C at 1400 and was still 12C at the end of the day. Ground winds were SW 5-10 km/h all day, gusting up to 23 km/h, and ridge winds were moderate to strong SSW-SW gusting 74-86 km/h. Cloud cover was cirrostratus all day, 80-100% to 1300 after which it gradually dwindled to 5% after 1700, and the mountains were clear all day. Despite these apparently excellent migration and observing conditions only one migrant raptor was seen, an adult Peregrine Falcon (the season's first) that flew to the north at 0902. Cliff was at the Lusk Creek site from 1600, and was joined there at 1730 by Joel, but no migrant raptors were seen. From the Hay Meadow site single adult resident Bald Eagle, Northern Goshawk and Golden Eagle were noted, and songbirds seen included 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 5 male Mountain Bluebirds, 17 American Robins, 1 Brown Creeper and the season's first Fox Sparrow. 10.5 hours (307.33) PEFA 1 (1) TOTAL 1 (893)

Oldman River Valley Commenting on the low counts at Mount Lorette Bev Garbutt writes that she is also noticing a lack of eagles in her study area near the Oldman River west of the Porcupine Hills. Presently her daily count of mainly Bald Eagles is 10-14, mainly juvenile birds, compared to an average daily count at this time of year of around 50 birds. She also notes that she has only seen about 8 Golden Eagles so far this year. This is interesting because if Golden Eagle movement was being displaced to the east by poor weather conditions in the mountains, this area is exactly where I would expect them to be seen.

The further adventures of “Elaine” Today Elaine flew about 200 km to the NW, crossed the Yukon River and is now near the Dall River at 150^o W about 30 km S of the Arctic Circle

April 2 [Day 30] (George Halmazna, assisted by Ron Dutcher) The temperature at 0700 was -2C, rose to 6C at 1700 and was still 4.5C at 1900. Ground winds were variable SW-SE 2-10 gusting to 38 km/h in mid-afternoon, but diminishing late in the day, while ridge winds were strong SW all day gusting to 126 km/h at 1600. Cloud cover was 90-100% stratus, cumulus, altostratus and cirrostratus until 1600 when it diminished to 20% for the rest of the day. The western ridges were 60% obscured by snow in the morning, but were completely clear after 1200 and the eastern ridges were clear all day. Despite the apparently good observing conditions only 5 Golden Eagles (3a,1j,1u) were seen, the first not occurring until until 1455 and the last passing at 1530. An unaged Sharp-shinned Hawk made up the day's disappointing tally of just 6 migrant raptors. Ron left for Lusk Creek at 1500, but saw no birds moving there. The lack of birds even extended to ravens, with only 4 being seen all day and other bird species included the long-staying Northern Shrike, the season's first Townsend's Solitaire, 47 American Robins and 13 Common Redpolls. 12.83 hours (296.83) SSHA 1 (7), GOEA 5 (825) TOTAL 6 (892)

The further adventures of “Elaine” Today Elaine moved to the WNW and is in the northern part of the Chena River State Recreation Area about 70 km ENE of Fairbanks. She is now about 400 km to the SSE of where she was on this date last year. 

April 1 [Day 29] (Bill Wilson) The temperature at 0730 was 0C, rose to a high of 6C at 1600 and fell to 1C at 2000. Surface winds were SW 5-15 gusting 35 km/h decreasing in the last couple of hours of counting and were S 2-5 at the end of the day, while ridge winds were strong SW gusting to 104 km/h to 0800, then mainly moderate SW gusting to 45 km/h to 1700 after which they were variably W-S light. Cloud cover was essentially cumulus all day, initially 5%, then 30-60% between 0900 and 1200 and 80-100% for the rest of the day giving good observing conditions. The only precipitation was a few flurries after 1900, but there was 3 cm of fresh snow on the ground at the start. The western ridges were obscured up to 20% throughout the day, but the east remained clear except during brief snow squalls late in the afternoon. A total of 58 migrant raptors were recorded between 0824 and 1825, with the flight peaking at 10 birds (2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Northern Goshawk and 7 Golden Eagles) between 1300 and 1400, although the maximum Golden Eagle passage was 9 between 1000 and 1100. All the birds moved high from the Fisher Range to Mount Lorette, although late in the day they were only seen after they had arrived at Mount Lorette. The flight comprised 1 adult Bald Eagle, 3 unaged Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 Northern Goshawks (1a,1u), 2 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (the 3 former species each having their highest counts for the season), 1 indeterminate Buteo and 49 Golden Eagles (39a,3sa,2j,5u). The Northern Shrike still lingered around the meadow, 2 Varied Thrushes sang and 12 of the day's 17 American Robins flew north in a single flock. 13.16 hours (284) BAEA 1 (43), SSHA 3 (6), NOGO 2 (3), RTHA 2 (3), UB 1 (2), GOEA 49 (820) TOTAL 58 (886)

The further adventures of “Elaine” Today Elaine moved to the WNW and finished the day near the headwaters of the North Fork of the Salcho River, about 130 km E of Fairbanks. She is now some 300 km SSE of where she was on this date last year.

March 31 [Day 28] (Jim Davis assisted by Cliff Hansen) The temperature was -8C at 0700, rose to a high of 5C at 1300 and remained there until 1900. It was initially calm with light to moderate SW winds developing after1000, while ridge winds were mainly moderate SW-SSW gusting between 44 and 85 km/h. Cloud cover at the start was 40% stratus and cumulus, increasing to 60% at 1000 and thickening to 100% stratus at 1400 when rain and snow began obscuring all the ridges at which time the count moved to the Lusk Creek site. At the Hay Meadow site a Rough-legged Hawk perched in a tree from 0833 and the first migrant Golden Eagle was seen at 0942. The last Golden Eagle was seen from there at 1336 by which time 1 unaged Sharp-shinned Hawk, the Rough-legged Hawk and 8 Golden Eagles (6a,1j,1u) had been recorded. At Lusk Creek it was calm until 1900 when a S wind to 20 km/h developed, and cloud cover was 100% stratus, but there was a slow but steady stream of migrant raptors after 1431 and especially between 1700 and 1800 when some clearing of the weather produced 11 Golden Eagles between 1700 and 1734 followed by a blank 1.5 hours. A total of 15 birds were seen there comprising 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 adult light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk (the first for the count this season) and 13 Golden Eagles (9a,1j,3u). The highlight of non-raptor movement at Mount Lorette was a flock of 12 Northern Flickers flying north about 10m above the centre of the valley at 1111, while at Lusk Creek about 500 Bohemian Waxwings occurred in three flocks. 12.16 hours (270.84) BAEA 1 (42), SSHA 1 (3), RTHA 1 (1), RLHA 1 (5), GOEA 21 (828) TOTAL 25 (828)

March summary This year's March count was characterized by higher than average temperatures, a prevalence of very strong SW downslope winds and higher than average snowfall and low cloud obscuring the ridges. Only 3 full days were lost to weather, but several other days were shortened and a total of 8 days (including those lost) had 0 migrants, a further 5 days saw the passage of only 1 bird and a total of 17 days had a passage of 10 or less birds. Compared to the averages of the previous 19 March counts (1993-2011) the 28 days and 270.84 hours spent in the field were 3.27 and 12.83% below average respectively. The combined species total of 825 is 65.95% below average and is the second lowest ever (behind the count of 743 in 2009). The total of 771 Golden Eagles is 66.42% below average and the 42 Bald Eagles are 60.6% below average and both species represent the second lowest counts ever behind counts of 684 and 36 respectively in the 2009 count. Of the other 3 species who's average occurrence during the month is above 2, the 1 Northern Goshawk is 90.9% below average, the 1 Red-tailed Hawk is 75.6% below average and, bucking the trend, the 5 Rough-legged Hawks are 86.27% above average. It is interesting to note that the percentage of immature Golden Eagles is still low suggesting that the April count still holds some promise of significant movement. Final march count: 28 days (270.84) TUVU 0, OSPR 0, BAEA 42, NOHA 0, SSHA 3, COHA 1, NOGO1, BWHA 0, SWHA 0, RTHA 1, FEHA 0, RLHA 5, GOEA 771, AMKE 0, MERL 1, GYRF 0, PEFA 0, PRFA 0, UA 1, UB 1, UE 1, UU 0 TOTAL 825.

The further adventures of “Elaine” Today Elaine moved about 35 km to the W and is now near the headwaters of the Salcho River, west of the Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve, which puts her about 50 km SE of where she was on March 30 last year.

March 30 [Day 27] (Terry Waters) All the mountains were obscured until 1100 when there was partial clearing at which point Terry went to Lusk Creek where conditions were slightly better. Temperatures there ranged from -1C to 0C, ground winds were SW 10-20 gusting 30 km/h, ridge winds were moderate SSW gusting to 57 km/h and 40% altostratus cloud cover became 100% low stratus as snow reached the area at 1330 and at 1400 Terry gave up for the day. An adult Bald Eagle at 1220 was the only migrant seen. 3 hours (258.68) BAEA 1 (41) TOTAL 1 (803)

The further adventures of “Elaine” Today Elaine moved about 20 km to the NW

March 29 [Day 26] (Alan Hingston 0715-1000, then Terry Waters) The temperature rose to a high of 5C from 1100 to1400 from a morning low of 1C, and was 3C at the end of counting. Ground winds were initially light SW but were 10-20 gusting 30-40 km/h between 1000 and 1300, after which they became light again, while ridge winds were SW-SSW moderate to strong gusting to 99 km/h in the morning but decreased to less than 20 km/h at 1400. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus initially, that diminished to 30% at 1100 before quickly thickening to 100% stratus with flurries starting at 1400 turning to snow after 1500. The western ridges were 50% obscured in the morning and 100% after 1400, while the eastern ridges were clear to 1630, but by 1640 all ridges were obscured and the observers moved to the Lusk Creek site. A total of 9 birds, 1 light morph Rough-legged Hawk and 8 Golden Eagles (6a,1sa,1u) were seen from the Hay Meadow between 0822 and 1300, and the move to Lusk Creek only added 1 more unaged Golden Eagle before the weather finally terminated the count at 1730. A resident Golden Eagle was seen displaying from the Hay Meadow and other birds seen there included 14 American Robins and 1 Western Meadowlark. 10.25 hours (255.68) RLHA 1 (4), GOEA 9 (750) TOTAL 10 (802)

The further adventures of “Elaine” Today Elaine flew WNW to 65 km west of the Alaska-Yukon border and ended the day about 100km N of Tetlin Junction, again very close to where she was on this date last year.