August 31 NO OBSERVATION At 0730 the ridge was still visible although the main Livingstone Range was enveloped in cloud, but within an hour the cloud had descended and rain set in for the day. With regards to yesterday’s “record” August count I had completely forgotten August 30, 1997 at Plateau Mountain, some 60 km north of the present site. We had decided to do a full season count there, the first away from Mount Lorette, and Des, Jack, George and I traveled to the mountain to check the logistics with a view to starting the count in early September. Much to our surprise we found a full blown migration in progress and in 6 hours we counted 112 migrant raptors: 16 Northern Harriers, 24 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Cooper’s Hawk, 62 Red-tailed Hawks, 7 American Kestrels, 1 Merlin and an unidentified Accipiter. The movement proved to be anomalous, however, and although I scrambled to start the count proper the following day we did not exceed that daily count of 112 there until October 6, and we have not subsequently seen such an August movement again. Yesterday’s movement was therefore the second highest August RMERF count and only the 7 Golden Eagles and (as I omitted to mention) the single Swainson’s Hawk were record counts for August, the latter being the first ever record for the month.

August summary The 6 days spent at the site was average compared to the last 2 years while the 68.75 hours was almost the same as last year and 10.3% above average. The total of 60 was the lowest of the 3 years and 31% below the 2006-07 average with only the Golden Eagle (a record 13, +333%), and Northern Harrier (7, +100%) and Swainson’s Hawk (1, new for month) being above average. Especially notable for their absence were Red-tailed Hawks with only 4 recorded (-80%). It should also be noted that 45 of the 60 birds (75%) moved on August 30 and that August 31 was the first August day lost to weather at the site.