August 31 [Day 7] The temperature rose to 21C from a low of 16C at 0800. Winds were N with extended calm periods to 1300 after which they became E to16 km/h, and skies were cloudless until 1600 after which towering cumulus rapidly developed producing sporadic thunder and distant showers. Raptor migration was rather slow and sporadic with 21 birds moving between 1203 and 1739, with the flight again dominated by Sharp-shinned Hawks (10), one of which came close to knocking my cap off as it passed overhead. At 1319 the 7th Ferruginous Hawk of the count, an adult light morph, moved south, and the day’s only migrant Golden Eagle was a subadult at 1533. Passerine movement was again muted, and the day’s only new species was an adult California Gull that flew south at 1740 to give a first fall record for the site. 12.5 hours (86.75) NOHA 3 (26), SSHA 10 (59), COHA 2 (13), RTHA 3 (7), FEHA 1 (7), GOEA 1 (9), UU 1 (1) TOTAL 21 (163)
August Summary Seven days (86.75 hours) were spent at the site during the month, 16.7% and 33.86% above the 2006-2008 average respectively. The combined species total of 163 was a new monthly record beating the previous high of 101 set in 2006 and was 108.97% above the average count. New monthly high counts were set for Northern Harrier (26, +457%), Sharp-shinned Hawk (59, +106%), Cooper’s Hawk (equal with 2006 and 2007: 13, +39.3%), Northern Goshawk (5, +400%), Swainson’s Hawk (5, +1400%), Ferruginous Hawk (7, +600%), American Kestrel (9, +58.8%) and Peregrine Falcon (1, recorded for the first time in August). Five other species occurred in above average numbers: Osprey (1, +50%), Bald Eagle (2, +20%), Broad-winged Hawk (1, +50%), Red-tailed Hawk (21, +43.2%) and Golden Eagle (9, +42.1%). The only species occurring in lower than average numbers were the unrecorded Merlin and Prairie Falcon, although the latter was seen once as a resident bird.