March 30 Daily Flight Summary

looking south towards Jumbo at days end

Official Counter         

Adam Richardson

Observers       

None

Weather         

There was a trace amount of graupel that fell overnight.  There was a significant amount of fog from about 09:00-11:30. Low temperature of -4C and a high of 4C.  Winds out of the south at 4-12kph.  Good visibility from 11:30 on with the skies clearing.

Raptor Notes 

Decent flight today with 22 raptors coming through.  (2) SS (1) RT (8) GE (1) NH (3) FH (4) RL (3) BE.  From the new OP I have a better view, basically wing-on of the SSHA coming through.  The FEHA was the highlight of the day with 2 adult light-morphed birds flying through at 12:00-13:00.  When I saw the second one on nearly the same path, I thought maybe it was a new resident, but shortly after I saw a third come through far off to the east.  Today was another day where it feels like migration is more apparent with birds taking much more direct routes towards the Smith River Canyon.

One adult light-morphed RLHA continues to frequent the Eagle Creek vicinity.  The resident BAEA and GOEA were moderately active today and the escorts they give the migrants also seems more evident.  I frequently see a kettle of several birds, but eventually one or two will start heading north directly and maybe a third will veer off to the SE or SW.  When I first experienced this, I found it difficult to track both birds, but now I pay attention to the one coming towards me.  The resident adult dark and light-morphed RTHA were spotted throughout the day as well.  The dark-morphed bird seems to be staking a claim on Jumbo.

Non-raptor Notes

A lone CAFI serenaded me early in the morning.  The forest birds are all coming by for a visit to see who the new resident is in their neighborhood (the raptor migration observer).  I enjoyed the several foraging flocks of WBNU, RBNU, MOCH and DEJU coming in close to the OP.  The new OP is definitely a good place to pick up resident forest birds.  The PIWO continues to let out its wild man’s call from the canyons nearby the OP.  Two Tundra Swans were seen down with the menagerie forming at the Johnston Pasture.

looking a little more to the SW of the OP up the Smith River watershed

Visitors           

None

Next Day Forecast

Sunday

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Patchy fog between 9am and noon. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph.

Sunday Night

A slight chance of rain showers before 8pm, then a slight chance of snow showers. Patchy fog after 9pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. West southwest wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.