December 9 [Day 100] The last day of the count saw strong NW winds all day gusting to 80 km/h in the afternoon, temperatures that ranged from -7C to -6C and 100% altostratus cloud that gave way to 70-80% lenticular/altostratus cover after 1500. The first adult Bald Eagle moved along the ridge at 1038 followed by 2 more at 1437 and 1447. The final bird of the count was another adult Bald Eagle gliding high to the south above the ridge at 1605: the 700th Bald Eagle and the 8289th migrant raptor of a very successful season.
This was the first year that the count has extended into December at the site and 6 days (47 hours) yielded a total of 78 migrant raptors: 69 Bald Eagles, 2 Northern Goshawks, 4 Rough-legged Hawks and 3 Golden Eagles. Doubtless a few Bald Eagles will continue to move south over the next couple of weeks but I had to leave for Calgary with Barbara on Sunday evening so she can start her radiation treatment on Monday. Next spring we shall conduct a full count at the Piitaistakis-South Livingstone site for the first time, starting around the middle of February, the exact date dependant on weather conditions at the time. 8.08 hours (1048) BAEA 4 (700) TOTAL 4 (8289)

FINAL COUNT (August 25 to December 9) (percentage difference from fall 2006 in parenthesis)

DAYS 100 (+19%)
HOURS 1048 (+17.5%)

OSPREY (OSPR) 17 (+54.5%)
BALD EAGLE (BAEA) 700 (+45.2%)
NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) 56 (-26%)
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (SSHA) 1219 (-2.2%)
COOPER’S HAWK (COHA) 191 (-13%)
NORTHERN GOSHAWK (NOGO) 166 (+7.8%)
Unidentified Accipiter (UA) 57 (+26.7%)
BROAD-WINGED HAWK (BWHA) 13 (+30%)
SWAINSON’S HAWK (SWHA) 1 (-50%)
RED-TAILED HAWK (RTHA) 188 (-34%)
FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FEHA) 4 (+300%)
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (RLHA) 83 (-41%)
Unidentified Buteo (UB) 2 (-67%)
GOLDEN EAGLE (GOEA) 5445 (+23.75%)
Unidentified eagle (UE) 12 (+100%)
AMERICAN KESTREL (AMKE) 37 (+12.1%)
MERLIN (MERL) 27 (-40%)
GYRFALCON (GYRF) 9 (+50%)
PEREGRINE FALCON (PEFA) 35 (+94.4%)
PRAIRIE FALCON (PRFA) 18 (+28.6%)
Unidentified Falco (UF) 2 (-33%)
Unidentified raptor (UU) 7 (-50%)

TOTAL 8289 (+14.85%)

Principal Observers: Peter Sherrington (89.5 days), Raymond Toal (6 days), Bill Wilson (3 days) Denise Coccioloni-Amatto (1 day) and Vance Mattson (0.5 days) with the skillful assistance of Keith McClary (45 days), Denise Coccioloni-Amatto (38 days), Raymond Toal (23 days), Karola Michalsky (10 days), Doug and Teresa Dolman (6 days), Dawn Hall (5 days), Alan Hingston (3 days), Elly and Arnie Weisbrot (3 days), Nel Van Kamer (3 days), Bill Wilson (3 days), Joel Duncan (2 days), Vance Mattson (2 days), Doug Pederson (1 day) and many of the other 300+ people who visited the site during the season.

Acknowledgements: To Enbridge, our principal sponsor and to members and supporters of the Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation for their continuing financial support, and to members of the Crowsnest Conservation Society for their support and many contributions to the success of the project. To Judy and Rick Cooke for again generously providing accommodation in their cabin at Lee Lake to mid-September and to Peter and Adele McKiernan for housing and feeding me in late September until we moved into our new house in Beaver Mines. To Merilyn Lidell for organizing our first Crowsnest Pass Eagle Festival on September 29 and to Doug Pederson who designed and produced the splendid car decal commemorating the fall 2007 count. To my wife, Barbara, who despite health challenges and a house move in the middle of the count continued to provide me with unstinting logistical support and encouragement.