Hello all,

On August 29th, the Chelan Ridge Raptor Migration Project was granted
authorization to return to our research station near Cooper Mountain (for
the 19th year) while fire teams work on fireline repair and wait for a
season ending event to quell all fire activity. We have officially
departed the temporary station at Slate Peak, although on nice days like
we have had, it is a fantastic hawk observatory. The Black Canyon Road
remains closed, but just yesterday the Cooper Ridge Road (8020) was opened
to the public so that is one avenue via Antoine Creek to access the Chelan
Ridge site. We are seeing merlins (like the one Teri reports below),
eagles, Swainson's and broad-wings, a first of the season rough-leg, and
other common migrants like sharpies and Cooper's hawks. On last Sunday, we
captured a Cooper's hawk that was banded at Chelan Ridge in its fall
migration a year ago. A fun reminder that this is still the best place in
Washington to see (and recapture) migrant birds of prey.

The roads are better than ever. The fire teams have worked hard to repair
and rework them. Still mountain roads. Kent Woodruff (forwarded from
Meredith Spencer, Bridgeport)





F