October 5 [Day 16] (Jim Davis) All ridges were obscured at 0710 so Jim went to the Lusk Creek site (which was clear but nothing was moving) and returned to the Hay Meadow site just as the cloud was beginning to lift at 0840. By 0900 the initial 100% stratocumulus cloud cover had cleared to 20% and after 1200 the sky was completely cloudless. The temperature rose to 15C at 1300 from a low of 3C and was back down to 4C at 1900, ground winds were light all day initially NW 0-5 km/h to 1000 and after SE-S 5-10 km/h, and ridge winds were generally moderate gusting to 40-60 km/h peaking at 87 km/h at 1700. The first migrant raptors were 3 Golden Eagles at 0856 but by noon only 9 further migrants had been logged, but in the afternoon movement became increasingly strong with 84 birds moving between 1600 and 1700, movement peaking at 121 from 1700 to 1800, 77 between 1800 and 1900 and 15 moving after 1900 with the last Golden Eagle recorded at 1916. The most crowded minute was at 1750 when 21 Golden and 2 Bald Eagles moved simultaneously. The combined species total of 407 is the highest so far this season as was the total of 374 Golden Eagles (265a, 30 sa, 50j, 29u). This compares to Golden Eagle high counts for the last 4 years of 421 (2009), 382 (2008), 310 (2007) and 255 (2006). Other raptors were 1 Osprey, 17 Bald Eagles (14a, 3j), 3 Northern Harriers (1a male and 1a female, which moved south together, and 1u), 2 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 adult Cooper’s Hawk, 2 unidentified small Accipiters, 1 adult light morph Broad-winged Hawk (the first for the site this season), 2 adult calurus Red-tailed Hawks (1 light, 1 rufous), 1 light morph adult Rough-legged Hawk, 1 unidentified dark Buteo, 1 male American Kestrel and the season’s first columbarius Merlin, a bird of unknown sex or age. The 11 species of raptor recorded is also a season’s high. Non raptor migrants were also in evidence including a late flock of 15 Barn Swallows, 9 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, and a single Cedar Waxwing (but no Bohemians!). The main Golden Eagle movement is now well under way, so your help at the site, especially in the afternoons, would be greatly appreciated. 12.67 (178.42) OSPR 1 (4), BAEA 17 (65), NOHA 3 (6), SSHA 2 (43), COHA 1 (8), UA 2 (6), BWHA 1 (1), RTHA 2 (29), RLHA 1 (4), UB 1 (5), GOEA 374 (799), AMKE 1 (2), MERL 1 (1) TOTAL 407 (994)