September 13 [Day 19] Heavy rain overnight turned to snow leaving 1 cm at
the site in the morning, with the temperature at 0C at 0800. Overnight the
pressure had risen 10 hPa and at 0700 the sky was almost cloudless but by
0900 a 100% stratocumulus cover had developed which dissipated to 10% at
1300, after which cirrus cloud cover progressively spread becoming 100%
cirrostratus at 1900. It was a sky that was a pleasure to watch! An initial
weak upslope (easterly) flow changed to westerly at 1030 that steadily
increased in velocity reaching 30 km/h at 1900. The temperature high for the
day was 11C. Because of the initial calm conditions the first migrant raptor
did not appear until 1201 and movement was slow and steady throughout the
afternoon with the last of the day's 8 Golden Eagles moving south at 1900.
The 8 Red-tailed Hawks was the highest daily total so far this season
reflecting the relative scarcity of the species so far. Passerine movement
was also muted by last night's storm and included 15 Red-breasted
Nuthatches, 1 White-breasted Nuthatch, 20 American Robins, 31 Yellow-rumped
Warblers, 17 Wilson's Warblers and only 2 White-winged Crossbills. The early
morning frosty conditions induced 19 Canada Geese in two skeins to fly high
to the west before 0900. 12 hours (207.67) NOHA 2 (15), SSHA 14 (264), COHA
3 (57), NOGO 2 (19), RTHA 8 (28), GOEA 8 (61) TOTAL 37 (483)