September 29 [Day 34] The high pressure system persisted bringing a cloudless sky all day and winds that never exceeded 14 km/h, from the NW to 1300 and subsequently from the W. The temperature reached a very pleasant 20C from a low of 11C. The first raptor was not seen until 1202 and only 4 birds had moved by 1300, but then they moved steadily for the rest of the day. At first most birds flew low with much soaring giving spectacular views as they moved close to the ridge, but as the day progressed the flight got higher making detection of the birds increasingly difficult against the plain blue backdrop of the sky. The flight was again dominated by Golden Eagles with the total of 117 being the second highest of the season so far. A young bird at 1520 passed close enough to see that it had a patagial tag on each wing: red on the right wing and green on the left wing. The highest hourly count was 37 from 1800 to 1900 and three birds moved after 1900 with the last gliding south at 1908. Sharp-shinned Hawks (49) again moved strongly, often accompanying Golden Eagles, but both Cooper’s Hawks and Northern Goshawks were scarce, as were buteos with only 1 Red-tailed Hawk (adult light calurus) and 1 dark morph Rough-legged Hawk seen. A Pileated Woodpecker heard calling east of the site was the 87th bird species of the year, an adult Northern Shrike perched at the site was the 88th and only the second to be seen on the ridge and the first that has occurred in September. Other movement was relatively sparse but included 9 American Pipits, the highest daily total so far this season. 12.5 hours (390.17) BAEA 3 (36), NOHA 2 (37), SSHA 49 (855), COHA 2 (179), NOGO 2 (79), RTHA 1 (138), RLHA 1 (2), GOEA 117 (650), MERL 2 (17) TOTAL 179 (2145)