I spent the morning hours at the southern part of Alum Lake, looking mostly for landbird migrants.  As it turned out, there was a good movement of migrants, so I spent most of the first two hours posted at the New Galena boat ramp tallying stuff that was flying past headed south.  Afterwards I hiked the trails here, then drove up to hike around Cheshire access, another decent migrant trap.  Nocturnal migrants (mostly neotropicals) were spotty at both sites, but diurnal (daytime) migrants were on the move.  Highlights included

Raptors - New Galena had 3 Sharpies, 2 Cooper's, 1 Osprey, 1 Peregrine, and 4 Turkey Vultures, while Cheshire had 12 vultures and 2 Red-tails

Swifts,Swallows - New Galena had 4 Chimney Swifts and 6 Tree Swallows

Woodpeckers - Cheshire had 2 sapsuckers, while 8 Flickers flew past the New Galena boat ramp, and another 6 were around the trails there.

Flycatchers - New Galena had 1 E.Phoebe fly past the boat ramp, one of the few times that I've actually seen this species on migration

Vireos - 1 White-eyed Vireo was still singing along the trails at New Galena

Blue Jays - good movement, with 270 flying past the boat ramp, plus another 20+ lurking around the trails.

Nuthatch - a Red-br.Nuthatch was calling from a tiny cluster of pines near the boat launch.

Thrushes - a few Swainson's were around the New Galena trail, while a Gray-cheeked was at Cheshire.  About 30 Robins flew past the boat ramp, and another 20+ were hanging around the trail there.

Mimids - all 3 common species were at New Galena, though the 16 Catbirds there was a number much reduced from #s back in September

Cedar Waxwings - 70+ flew by the boat ramp in 2 hours, and a few more were around the trails and up at Cheshire

Warblers - Yellow-rumps (6), Cape Mays (4), and Magnolia (1) all flew by the boat ramp, while Cheshire held these, plus Blackburnian, Bl-thr.Green, and Yellowthroat in shrubbery around the parking area.

Grosbeaks,Buntings - No grosbeaks, but an Indigo Bunting flew past the boat ramp

Sparrows - surprisingly scarce, with a few Chipping, 1 Field, and 2 White-throats around the trails at New Galena

Blackbirds - the vanguards of bigger flocks yet to come, 20+ Grackles, 5 redwings, and 7 Cowbirds all flew past the boat ramp.

Finches - Only a few Goldfinches (12) flew past the boat ramp, but they were upstaged by a Purple Finch that flew past late in the morning.

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