October 9 [Day 20] (George Halmazna) Yesterday's disturbance was short-lived and today the ridges an peaks remained completely clear all day. The temperature at 0710 was -1.5C, rose to a high of 11C at 1600 and was 4C at 1930. Ground winds were light SW becoming S in the afternoon, with a maximum gust of 15 km/h at 1300, and ridge winds were moderate SW to 1300 after which persistent blowing snow indicated moderate to strong velocities. Cloud cover was initially 100% altocumulus to 0900 after which it gradually cleared after 1000 to 5% cumulus. Raptors started moving early with the first Northern Goshawk seen at 0730 and the first Golden Eagle at 0822 and by the time the last Golden Eagle was logged at 1920 a season-high total of 441 raptors had been counted of which a season-high total of 428 were Golden Eagles (315a,19a,89j,5u). The birds moved steadily from Mount Lorette to the face of the northern end of the Fisher Range which, combined with ideal light conditions, made the aging of the birds easy. Maximum passage of Golden Eagles was 99 between 1700 and 1800, and the total of 428 is the eighth highest fall count for the species at the site. It is interesting to note that on October 8 last year 556 birds were counted at the site (the second highest ever). Other raptors seen were 2 adult Bald Eagles, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks (1a,1j), 2 Northern Goshawks (1a,1u), 6 Rough-legged Hawks (2 light, 3 “intermediate” and 1 dark morph) and the season's first Gyrfalcon, a grey morph that was seen at 1218. Golden Eagles were also moving through the high foothills to the east as Michael Woertman observed 42 birds (39a,3j) in 2 hours (1300-1500), along with 2 adult Bald Eagles, 3u Sharp-shinned Hawks and 1 Merlin. Non-raptor species noted at Lorette included 8 Golden crowned Kinglets, 15 American Pipits and 3 Brewer's Blackbirds; a single Mourning Cloak butterfly was on the wing, and the Black Bear on the lower slopes of the northern end of the Fisher Range had a ringside seat for the best eagle migration of the year.

12.5 hours (222.26) BAEA 2 (34), SSHA 2 (46), NOGO 2 (15), RLHA 6 (13), GOEA 428 (1117), GYRF 1 (1) TOTAL 441 (1276)