Kex Gill 04-07-2009

Failed to get up to early but was expecting crossbills as quite a few reports on the pager over the last week.(see also post form John earlier in Morning at Thrusscross where he had 3 Whimbrel W)

Kex Gill 0800 - 11.45
Wind WSW veering SW now and then. Up to F3. 2/8 cloud at first, 5/8 later (bright to E, Cloudy to W)

Grey heron 1NW- moving on a completely different vector to anything else - appeared far to the South and exited far to the North.

H Martin 1 S
Swallow 69SW
Linnet 1W
Mistle Thrush 1 v high W
GSWP 1 medium height ESE
BHG 37SW
LBBG 4E, 1 W
Stock Dove 4W, 1 E (interesting movement of birds over open moorland)
Lapwing 16W,
Oyk 1 W
Curlew 7W
Swift 20 s(ish with some milling about)
Painted Lady 2W, White Sp 1 W

J Blacker, Andy Hanby

Oxenhope 04-07-2009

1000 - 1500hr
S F2/3, 20deg C at 0830, 65km haze, 4/8 cumulus mediocris increasing 7/8 stratocumulus, QNH 1014 falling.

An interesting morning with more diversity on the moors as dispersal kicks in. A poor showing with gulls below expectation but all were coming in high from the NE - N and moving on SW - S. Again just a few leaving NW today. As the visit progressed, less and less were noted on the move. Lapwings were on the move with a large fragmented flock moving NW, in addition to several high singles. Many hirundines were very high and when watched critically, some looked as if they had no ties, scoping suggested juvs or more Sand Martins than I counted. A small group of Sand Martin left to the west gaining much height. Swifts were interesting in that there were few at the start but by lunchtime as the cloudbase was dropping and becoming more dense they started to appear out of the high east in moderate numbers, some in quite big bunches and all were moving west. Scoping confirmed this to be a diffuse broad front movement. Three Curlews went north west over the lunch time period and most interestingly three approaching waders picked up at very high at distance (c1450hr) in the NNW turned out to be godwit sp as they overflew south. Sadly I couldent get any plumage details at all as I couldent scope vertically but could make out their long bills against the brightening sky through the bins as they went over.... probably blackwits.

Moving Birds:
Lesser black-backed Gull 179 > SW
Swallow 5 > SW
BH Gull 180 > SW
Stock Dove 1 > NW
Sand Martin 7 > W
Lapwing 151 > NW, 1 > S.
Swift 181 > W
Oystercatcher 2 > NW
Linnet 4 > W
Goldfinch 2 > W
Curlew 3 > NW
godwit sp 3 > S
Red Admiral 1 > NW
Gatekeeper 1
Small White 1 > NW
Large White 2 > NW
Common Blue

Dave

Satellite tagged Black-tailed Godwits

Hi Jef etal

Very interesting satellite tag maps Jef. I will keep and eye on these.

Black tailed Godwits on the move through northern England as well with birds reported today stopping off on either side of the Pennines at our latitude. These would I am sure have been Icelandic (islandica) birds as in July over the years, I have here where seperable only ever had one continental (limosa) bird against many Icelandics at this time of year. First week in July is right on target for summer plumage adults! I wonder do the Icelandic birds ever get down as far south as the Dutch continental (limosa) birds are getting or do they normally winter mainly in the UK?

Dave

----- Original Message -----
From: Jef
To: VisMig
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 11:36 AM
Subject: [vismig] Black-tailed Godwits

Not only Curlews are on the move but also Black-tailed Godwits and with what a speed.

In Holland they tagged some Godwits with satellite tags and the results are amazing.

One Black-Tailed Godwit made it to Senegal in 48 hours in a non-stop flight at a average speed of 80km/hour for a distance of 4000 km.

http://www.nos.nl/nos/artikelen/2009/06/art000001C9F4E590C1D14C.html

to follow the Black-tailed Godwits on the satellite maps go to:

http://www.vogelbescherming.nl/nl/actueel/grutto_op_reis/volg_de_gruttos

The most amazing one see above is the one called Heidenskip.


Jef,

Kingussie

Oxenhope.. First Push South of BH Gulls 30-06-2009

Big Influx of BHGulls moving South this afternoon (c) 2009


Migrating in Moult.... Lapwings > NW (c) 2009


Migrating in Moult.... LBB Gulls > South (c) 2009


LBB Gulls just a few NW today (c) 2009

1300-1730hr
SE F2, 21degC at 1200hr, 3km deep haze improving to 10km, 8/8 dark and gloomy starto base, intermittent light rain, QNH 1024 falling.

A wet and foggy morning in this part of West Yorkshire but mist lifting and rain ceasing at c lunchtime. Intermittent showers throughout the afternoon were thought in this instance to assist the passage today! A desperately gloomy, deeply hazy, humid afternoon but with the sky FULL of birds. Heavy / steady movements of all species recorded throughout the visit. The first big push south of BH Gulls this afternoon with the first juvenile recorded all were coming in from high to the north. Two Common Gulls also south amongst the masses were a definate sign of "northern" gulls reaching us. LBB Gulls were also steaming through also from high in the north.... just a very few leaving NW today. Swifts were well stirred up by the weather with the sky often full of pulses of moving birds, specifically after each of the light showers. Interestingly the direction of movement swung from west to south west during the afternoon. Only a fraction of those on the move were counted as scoping opened up another world of Swift movement. Many were very high but some were skimming the moors, in-bye and water as they passed. Lapwings were also on the move with two populations thought to be involved. Firstly flocks of 12 and 29 passed high south during the visit (these thought to be British population) whilst singles and small flocks up to four passed in the main high NW... these could possibly be continental birds on direction and jis. All were very heavily in moult. Interestingly there was a Starling movement this afternoon with all birds passing NW in low flocks of up to 90!! There may also have been a hint of Linnet and Greenfinch dispersal west? The only Curlews seen on the move approached from the ESE at about hill top level (1400feet) and continued on without stopping.

Moving birds:
Lapwing 41 > S and 18 > NW total 59
Swift 1110 > W and SW
BH Gull 487 > S and 24 > N total 511
Sand Martin 1 > W
LBB Gull 334 > S and 31 > NW total 365
Starling 109 > NW
Golden Plover 34 > S
Curlew 4 > NW
Common Gull 2 > S
Greenfinch 16 > W
Linnet 4 > W




A bit of something different for the "Metal Bird" watchers (c) 2009
Cessna C680 Citation Sovereign.


Occasional Series... Spot that Jis (c) 2009



Great Wall Airline Co Ltd Shanghai. Boeing 747-202K/SCD (c) 2009


Dave

Oxenhope.. Curlews still on the move 28-06-2009pm

Curlews touching down for a rest! viewed through the heat haze.. (c) 2009


Curlews passing through high NW (c) 2009


Curlews lifting off and away (c) 2009

1430 - 1845hr
ESE F2, very hot, 20km, 2/8 increasing 5/8 cumulus congestus, QNH 1018 steady.

A total difference from this morning with fogs all gone and essentially open skys. Curlews passing west and north west again the feature of the afternoon. Flocks of 4,18, 12 and 4 (totalling 38) passed through at varying levels. The largest flock comprising a group of 13 coalescing with a much higher group of 5 before touching down briefly, then on NW. These were seen also by BS from Soil Hill and infact he initially noted the higher flock of five before they came together. Of the ones that I can scrutinise on my photographs there are a much higher proportion of females than males and this rings true with the literature!! No juvs moving yet at all. There is a photograph here showing the Oxenhope Watchpoint from Soil on which I can be seen on station this afternoon!!:

http://queensburybirder.blogspot.com/2009/06/dry-soil-hill.html#links

Click the photo on the Queensbury blog to make it bigger and zoom in at the far right hand elevated corner of the reservoir. See below at the bottom of this post for the return view to Soil! The corner really shows off its elevation when viewed from Soil!! Otherwise still plenty of activity with other species of waders (probably the first post / failed breeding congregations) on the initial move.


Moving Birds:
Curlew 38 > W and NW
Common Gull 1 > E
LBB Gull 99 > NW and N
Red Admiral 5 > NW
Painted Lady 3 > NW
Golden Plover 41 > SE
BH Gull 24 > N
Rook 1 > SE very high
Sand Martin 4
Oystercatcher 2 > NW
Herring Gull 1 > NW
Lapwing 4 > NW


Cumulus congestus rapidily developing (c) 2009

Cumulus congestus.... looking ESE (c) 2009

BS on Soil Hill watching the Curlews pass through (c) 2009

Dave

Oxenhope... Fogged Out 28-06-2009

0830 - 1030hr
E F1/2 - NE F1/2, 15degC, 60m, 8/8 fog stratus and damping, QNH 1018 steady.

A terrible morning with cloud not lifting at all. No moving birds seen or heard throughout. Try again this afternoon!

Dave

Oxenhope... Curlews on the move 27-06-2009

A Montage!! Curlews on the move NW in ones, twos and threes (c) 2009

1630 - 2015hr

E F2/3 - NE F2/1 reducing, 20degC, 15 reducing 3km, 8/8 cloudbase reducing in height throughout to give ultimate fog stratus and drizzle!, QNH 1017 falling.

Fog and low cloud during the first part of this morning lead to a late afternoon visit here today. Autumn really is here! Curlews were the feature of the visit.... frequent contacts from noisy birds in ones, twos and threes at well spaced intervals all moving NW. Lesser black backs were again moving strongly NW often sourced from a large everchanging loafing group on the water. B H Gulls also still picking up. A Herring Gull and a first summer GBBGull also leaving NW were interesting. The bird of the day however was a Spotted Redshank heard approaching from the distance at 1955hr just prior the cloudbase closing in. It came in from the NE over the wall about half way on and continued low over the water and on SW over the moor with well spaced calls throughout. Most likely, at this time, a female. Through the scope despite the poor light it was a beautiful dark bird! Red Admirals moving N both during the morning and the first part of this visit now replacing Painted Ladies?

Moving Birds:

Curlew 17 > NW

Red Admiral 5 > N

LBB Gull 129 > NW

BH Gull 31 > NW

Swift 90 > E and NE into the wind and reducing cloudbase!

Herring Gull 1 > NW

GBB Gull 1 > NW

Spotted Redshank 1 > SW

Dave

Oxenhope Common Scoters 22-06-2009

An obvious trans Pennine move of Common Scoters overnight with in addition to birds on Elton Reservoir and Stocks Reservoir (further west on the route), three at our Oxenhope watchpoint this morning (2M and 1F).

KM / RHP / BV

Dave

Oxenhope 21-06-2009

Common Sand with two young (c) 2009

1000 - 1300hr
WNW F2, very hot, 100km, 3/8, QNH 1025 rising

Very little moving at first but Lesser black backed Gulls starting to pass NW by 1100hr and continuing to increase during the late morning. The first moving Curlews of the autumn went through west. The few Canadas remaining sheperding the young were all I believe flightless and kept rolling over on their backs with legs in the air!! One of the Common Sandpiper pairs had two small chicks. During the afternoon over the moors many LBBGulls were continuing to pass NW at all levels and a count would certainly have got more than one hundred. Groups of upto ten were going through.

Moving Birds:
Lesser black backed Gull 43 > NW
Black headed Gull 6 > SW
Starling 21 > N
Curlew 4 > W
Lapwing 1 > W

Other:
Common Sand with two chicks.

Dave