Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Mount Lorette area

Three of us went to Kananaskis for the day, yesterday. The area shown in the photo was our destination, though we stopped at various other places en route. The mountain you can see here is Mt. Lorette, over which the Golden Eagles fly on their migration route. Peter Sherrington (see information below) now conducts his research from Bellevue in the Crowsnest Pass, southern Alberta, and volunteers continue to record sightings at Mt. Lorette. The following was written by Peter Sherrington: "The visitors that day were just a few of the 1,500 people who came last year to witness the amazing spectacle. But they would not even have known about the site had it not been for a single bird -- a Golden Eagle -- that soared over the valley on the morning of March 20, 1992, as I was conducting a bird survey in the area with my friend Des Allen. The eagle was followed by another and then another. Quickly we realized that the birds were moving systematically along the ridges of the Fisher Range, crossing the Kananaskis Valley to Mount Lorette, where they'd soar briefly before disappearing to the northwest. At the end of the day, we had counted 103 Goldens, and I was convinced that we had discovered a previously unknown migration route. Two days later I returned to the area with a small group of observers, and in a single afternoon we counted 247 eagles moving along exactly the same route." I have been out to this location twice now and watched a trail of teeny black specks that are Golden Eagles. Fascinating that these birds know exactly where to fly on their migration route. Peter Sherrington does absolutely amazing, dedicated work recording every single one of these Golden Eagles each migration period.

Yesterday, three of us went westwards into the mountains to Kananaskis, with Mount Lorette as our destination. This area is where the Golden Eagles always fly over during their twice-yearly migration. In between straining my eyes to find the tiniest dark speck against the deep blue sky, I wandered around the area finding autumn leaves covered in snow, a couple of Ruffed Grouse, and these seedheads that shone so beautifully in the sunshine. Though the day started off chilly, it was a beautiful, crisp, fall day.

Or maybe I should have titled this "Mixed seasons". At least this wasn't seen in Calgary! Three of us went westwards yesterday to Kananaskis, with Mount Lorette as our destination. This area is where the Golden Eagles always fly over during their twice-yearly migration. In between straining my eyes to find the tiniest dark speck against the deep blue sky, I wandered around the area finding autumn leaves covered in snow, a couple of Ruffed Grouse, and so on. Though the day started off chilly, it was a beautiful, crisp, fall day.

On 11th October, three of us went to Kananaskis country to the site where Golden Eagles are watched for during their migration and their numbers are recorded. This is the Mount Lorette area. Last weekend, there were patches of snow there - a reminder that we have about six LONG months of winter ahead of us : (

I found it interesting that the water droplets from melting snow didn't trickle down the leaf when I held it up to the sky. They all stayed exactly in place. Seen at Hay Meadow, Mount Lorette area, in Kananaskis (Rocky Mountains). This is the area where the Golden Eagle migration is tracked and recorded twice a year. (Interestingness#332 explore2008October15)

I am so bad at being able to identify seedheads (is it Hawkweed?) but this beauty and several others were showing off their beautiful white, shiny hairs at the Mount Lorette Golden Eagle migration area on 11th October. Luckily, the sun was shining and the sky was blue : ). Kind of neat when viewed in large size. Interestingness#27 explore2008October24.