April 4 Daily Flight Summary

Official Counter         

Adam Richardson

Observers       

None

Weather         

Light freezing rain shortly after dawn gave way to partly cloudy skies by the beginning of the count.  By 10:30 the sky was overcast with a mix of cumulus, stratus and cirrus clouds.  Thermal lift was good between 11:30-13:30. Winds were primarily out of the SW at 5-11kph gusting to 20kph at 13:30.  Low temperature of 4C and a high of 15C by 13:30.  The barometer was steady during the count and visibility was excellent on both the E and the W.

Raptor Notes 

(1) FH.  One migrating immature light-morphed FEHA came through on the eastern flight line between 14:00-15:00.  Other than this one migrant no others were seen despite a 7.5-hour effort.

Residents were out early today when the winds kicked up at 10:30 out of the SW.  The first to be active were the male and female NOHA.  After that the RTHA all took to the sky directly over the OP.  One of our resident adult GOEA was seen high over the OP too, the highest I have seen a raptor go so far during this springs count.  It was moving very slow to the west though.  After this initial flurry of activity, I was convinced the flight would get under way, but my assumption was to proven incorrect.  Even resident raptors became inactive or moved far off beyond my point of view.

Non-raptor Notes

4 AWPE flew in over Sheep Creek during the afternoon.  3 TUSW continue in the Johnston Pasture.

Visitors           

None

Next Day Forecast

N/A