September 8 [Day 14] The weather was remarkably uniform all day with 100%
cirrostratus cloud cover changing to 100% altostratus after 1600, winds from the W
and occasionally NW 15-20 gusting 35 km/h all day and a temperature range of 5C to
13C. The barometric pressure, which had dropped 2 hPa overnight continued falling
steadily all day and was a further 6 hPa lower by 1900. The first migrant raptor of
the day, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, flew south at 0812, the earliest recorded so far this
season, and after 1030 movement was fairly continuous peaking between 1300 and 1400
when 30 birds passed. The combined species total of 101 was the highest so far and
the earliest that a three-figure count has occurred at the site by 5 days. By far
the most abundant species was Sharp-shinned Hawk (61) and the total of 22 Golden
Eagles was the earliest two-figure count for the species on any fall RMERF count by
4 days. The first Peregrine Falcon of the count, an adult, moved south at 1554, and
a second adult glided high to the south at 1832. The last birds of the day were a
group of 5 Golden Eagles moving high to the west of the ridge at 1911, the latest
migrants seen so far. There was a vigorous passerine movement for about 1.5 hours in
the early morning that included the first ever Magnolia Warbler for the site and the
first Palm Warbler for the season as well as a tight flock of 61 Clark's Nutcrackers
migrating south at 0817. Other migrants included 70 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 17
Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 8 Mountain Bluebirds, 19 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 6 Townsend's
Warblers and 20 Wilson's Warblers. 12.42 hours (151.01) BAEA 1 (3), SSHA 61 (136),
COHA 6 (22), NOGO 2 (7), RTHA 5 (13), GOEA 22 (41), MERL 2 (4), PEFA 2 (2) TOTAL 101
(253)