May 20 [Day 87] (Piitaistakis Ridge site) Strong W winds prevailed all day only rarely dropping below 40 km/h and gusting 50-70 km/h to 1800 when they were 60-70 gusting 90 km/h, diminishing to gusts of 80 km/h at 1900. The temperature was 1C to 2C to 1400 when it rose to 3.5C and then reached the day’s high of 5C from 1500 to1700 when a period of snow reduced the temperature back to 1C for the rest of the day. With the high winds it meant that wind-chill temperatures were below freezing for much of the day. Cloud cover was 100% altostratus and cumulus to 1400 after which the cloud broke to 60-70% cumulus, altostratus and altocumulus. Snow flurries that occasionally developed into brief periods of snow swept constantly down from the Continental Divide after 1245. Not surprising considering the weather, raptor migration was limited to subadult Golden Eagles gliding north at 1435 and 1448 and a juvenile doing the same at 1540. At 1136 what at first appeared in the distance to be high flying falcon surprisingly turned out to be the season’s first Mallard (a drake) [species #84] that flew high to the north above the ridge, and 3 minutes previously another “bachelor” flock of 15 Canada Geese had flown high to the east. At 1706, in the middle of one of the more enthusiastic snow flurries I found a Swainson’s Thrush [species #85] looking as if it regretted having left South America: I sympathized! Tomorrow will be the last day of the count, but where I shall be watching from will depend on the weather! 12.75 hours (1002.5) GOEA 3 (2184) TOTAL 3 (3036)