October 25 [Day 60] Once again winds were W gusting between 35 and 55 km/h all day and the temperature ranged between -0.5C and 4C. Cloud cover was 70-100% altostratus and cumulus until noon producing light snow flurries to 1000, but in the afternoon the cloud rapidly cleared and after 1500 the remnant scattered cumulus was reduced to 2%: fortunately most of it was concentrated behind the Livingstone Range to the north greatly facilitating the location of high southward flying birds. Again there was a good variety of raptors for late October with 9 species moving. The Golden Eagle recorded at 1153 was the 7000th migrant raptor of the season and we reached this mark 2 days earlier than we did last year. The first bird was a Golden Eagle at 0831 and the last a Bald Eagle at 1830 and between raptors appeared at a fairly steady pace all day with peak movements of 18 from 1100 to 1200 and 19 from 1600 to 1700. There was a late burst of 15 Bald Eagles after 1607 raising their count to 20 the second highest this season, and the only Northern Harrier was an adult male at 1037. Seven more Northern Goshawks raised the total to over 200 for the first time at the site, and 2 dark morph “Harlan’s” Red-tailed Hawks raised the season’s total for the subspecies to 50. Golden Eagles continue to move fairly strongly with the day’s total of 78 comprising 55 adults, 4 subadults, 14 juveniles and 5 birds of unknown age. The only passerine migrants were finches with 105 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches, 130 Pine Grosbeaks, 10 White-winged Crossbills and 25 Pine Siskins winging their way south. At Mount Lorette Ron Dutcher spent a pleasant day counting 26 migrant raptors of which 21 were Golden Eagles. 11.25 hours (690.84) BAEA 20 (180), NOHA 1 (48), SSHA 3 (1433), COHA 1 (234), NOGO 7 (202), UA 1 (56), RTHA 2 (206), RLHA 2 (62), GOEA 78 (4487), UE (5), MERL 1 (31) TOTAL 118 (7083)

When I returned home tonight I learned that my wife Barbara’s health has suddenly taken a turn for the worse so I am leaving for Calgary early tomorrow. We have presently arranged for Principal Observers to be at the Piitaistakis site in my stead until Sunday November 2, and we shall decided how to proceed thereafter depending on Barbara’s progress. Because of this situation I shall not be posting the blog for a few days. As always the Principal Observers would welcome whatever help they can get at the site.