May 17 [Day 84] (Piitaistakis Ridge site) The ridge was almost snow-free and the remaining drifts at the site disappeared as the temperature reached 20.5C at 1700 from a low of 13C and was 16.5C at 1900. Winds were generally calm or light SW-WSW except for 1645-1730 when the wind was WSW 20-25 gusting 30 km/h, and cloud cover was 70-100% cirrus, cirrostratus and cumulus all day giving hazy sunshine and excellent viewing conditions. Between 0800 and 1400 each hour yielded one migrant raptor, the first 3 being an immature male richardsonii Merlin and 2 female American Kestrels. No migrants were seen between 1321 and 1645 at which time an adult light morph Swainson’s Hawk moved north with a Sharp-shinned Hawk followed 3 minutes later by 2 juvenile light morph Ferruginous Hawks, which is the first record of the species since April 1st. The commonest migrant, however, remained Golden Eagle with 3 subadults and 2 juvenile birds moving between 1227 and the last migrant of the day at 1833. The total bird count was 26 species, which is a marked improvement over the 11 recorded 4 days ago, and included 2 Violet-green Swallows which is only the second record for the ridge. Three Western White butterflies were new for the season. 12.5 hours (964.4) SSHA 2 (77), SWHA 1 (4), FEHA 2 (5), GOEA 5 (2179), AMKE 2 (5), MERL 1 (11) TOTAL 13 (3019)