September 10 [Day 16] It rained heavily overnight but it had stopped by first light
although cloud lingered on the Livingstone Range until 1050. Cloud cover of 80%
cumulus persisted until 1500 when it progressively cleared and by 1900 the sky was
cloudless. Winds were very light from the N until 1600 when a westerly flow
developed which reached a maximum of 17 km/h at 1900, and the temperature reached 9C
from a low of 2.5C. Raptor migration was very slow but included the 4th Broad-winged
Hawk of the season: an adult light morph. Passerine migration was also almost
non-existent until 0930 after which they started to move in good numbers until noon.
First records for the season were Hermit Thrush, Blackpoll Warbler (2, the first for
September), White-throated Sparrow (also a September first) and a first winter
Lapland Longspur which was so confiding (or exhausted) that it would have been
possible to pick it up, although it later demonstrated that it was fully flighted.
This was the earliest recorded at the site, the earliest last year being October 8!
A Downy Woodpecker was also a season's first and the 73rd species recorded so far
this season. Yellow-rumped (31) and Wilson's (50) Warblers both moved strongly, but
Red-breasted Nuthatches (20) and American Robins (5) were relatively scarce and
after yesterday's big movement Mountain Bluebirds were absent today. A migrating
flock of 8 Blue Jays was by far the largest ever seen at the site. Season-high
counts were recorded for White-crowned Sparrow (35, the more northerly intergrade
oriantha x gambelii (grey lored) population has now replaced the local breeding pure
oriantha (black lored) form), and for Dark-eyed Junco (42) where the races montanus,
cismontanus and hyemalis were all present. 11 hours BAEA 1 (4), SSHA 1 (161), COHA 3
(27), NOGO 1 (10), BWHA 1 (4), GOEA 2 (44) TOTAL 9 (295)