[EBB Sightings] No "alleluia" moment this year

Dear Birders:

The September arrival of the Golden-crowned Sparrows in my neighborhood has always been one of the highlights of my birding year.  I have noted the time of their arrival in my nature notebooks for more than 30 years.  But this year instead of the arrival of a flock who appear to have descended on my hill during the night, they seem to be trickling in -- the first appearing last weekend, the latest date ever with no new arrivals since.  Dave Quady reports seeing three in his garden at the edge of Tilden Park about the same time along with a White-crowned Sparrow not regularly seen in his garden.

What's going on here?  Will they continue arriving, or are these small numbers it for the year? 

Phila Rogers