September 10 [Day 17] It was a beautiful day from the start with 70-100% cirrus cloud cover giving diffuse sunshine all day. Winds were initially WNW gusting to 30 km/h, but after 1400 backed to W and rarely reached 20 km/h as the temperature climbed to 18C from a low of 8C. The cirrus backdrop was ideal for finding and identifying migrating raptors and movement was steady between 1054 and 1726 with 73 migrants of 11 species being the second highest and highest totals for the season respectively. Sharp-shinned Hawk (40) and American Kestrel (6) were the highest counts so far, but the adult Peregrine Falcon at 1210 was the highlight. The total count to date of 439 is 2 less than on the same date last year. Passerine movement was also strong and included 49 Red-breasted Nuthatches and the first White-breasted Nuthatch of the year seen by Teresa. Pine Siskins (56) also moved in significant numbers for the first time. Northern Pocket Gopher mounds are common on the east side of the ridge where the soil is thicker, but today we had the unusual sight of an animal pushing soil out from a burrow in bright sunshine just after 1300: the species is normally nocturnal. 11.67 hours (185.18) BAEA 1 (7), NOHA 2 (29), SSHA 40 (172), COHA 10 (61), NOGO 1 (13), UA 3 (20), BWHA 1 (5), RTHA 5 (66), GOEA 2 (21), AMKE 6 (29), PEFA 1 (2), PRFA 1 (4) TOTAL 73 (439)