October 9 [Day 18] (Bill Wilson) The temperature was 5.5C at 0800, rose to a high of 10C between 1200 and 1400 and was 5C at 1900. Ground winds were WSW 3-15 km/h gusting to 27 km/h in the afternoon, and becoming calm after 1800, while ridge winds were mainly SW strong in the morning gusting to 122 km/h before moderating in the afternoon with gusts generally between 40 and 50 km/h.

Cloud cover was 60-100% cumulus and altostratus except around 1400 when it fell to 30%. Migration began early with 3 Golden Eagles counted at 0753 and also peaked early with 25 birds (including 24 Golden Eagles) moving between 1000 and 1100. Movement was subsequently steady, except between 1300 and 1400 when only 3 birds were seen, and when the last Golden Eagle was seen at 1854 the combined species count was 141, which is a good count but disappointing after yesterday's record total. The flight comprised 2 adult Bald Eagles, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1j,1u), 1 adult Cooper's Hawk, a season-high 6 Northern Goshawks (2a,1j,3u), 129 Golden Eagles (84a,3sa,31j,11u) and the season's 9^th Peregrine Falcon which was an unaged bird. Two American Tree Sparrows were a first for the season and 40 Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches flew south in a single flock.

12.5 hours (210.4) BAEA 2 (27), SSHA 2 (55), COHA 1 (16), NOGO 6 (15), GOEA 129 (1074), PEFA 1 (9) TOTAL 141 (1225)

Piitaistakis-South Livingstone: Frank site (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Scott Palmer, Denise Cocciolone-Amatto, Raymond Toal, Doug and Teresa Dolman, David Thomas, Phil Nicholas, Keith McClary, Mark Sherrington and Pat Lucas). The temperature varied between 8.5C and 11C, ground winds were WNW to SW 10-20 gusting 30 km/h while ridge winds were strong WNW-W diminishing to moderate to strong by mid afternoon. Cloud cover was 80-100% altostratus and cumulus forming an arch that persisted all day, that made locating the very high-flying Golden Eagles fairly easy but aging them was problematical for extended periods. Much of the eagle avalanche that hit Mount Lorette yesterday passed through here today with a steady stream of Golden Eagles moving to the south high above the Livingstone Range between 1033 and 1740. Of the total count of 508 birds, 474 were Golden Eagles (263a, 13sa, 29j, 169u) with other raptors recorded being 4 Bald Eagles (1a,2sa,1j), 13 unaged Sharp-shinned Hawks, 3 unaged Cooper's Hawks, 2 adult Northern Goshawks, 2 small unidentified accipiters, 3 light morph calurus Red-tailed Hawks (2a,1u), 4 Rough-legged Hawks (1light, 3 dark), 1 dark morph unidentified Buteo, 1 unaged and unsexed columbarius Merlin and a large falcon that was probably a Prairie Falcon. Movement peaked between 1300 and 1700 with hourly counts in this period of 88, 94, 94 and 70 birds. A full day's count would have yielded well over 500 Golden Eagles. Despite the relatively short observation periods, the weekend produced a total of 1027 migrant raptors of which 927 were Golden Eagles and in addition to the observers, 27 members of the public made it to the site to enjoy the spectacle.

7.67 hours BAEA 4, SSHA 13, COHA 3, NOGO 2, UA 2, RTHA 3, RLHA 4, UB 1, GOEA 474, MERL 1, UF 1 TOTAL 508