Watchpoint 27-08-2005 eve

Members only watchpoint 27-08-2005
Saturday 27th August 2005 eve
1910 – 2100hr
Weather and Sky:
A gradually improving day with open skies only coming after tea here. Wind: initially W F3, becoming SW F3 from 2035hr – a marked change. Temp: 12. Visibility: Leck Fell max / Drax max. Cloud: very little now 1ok. Pressure: rising with 1016 to 1017hpa.

Very unexpectedly were four Swifts moving moving off east (the direction shown on the mid evening photograph below), feeding on the move (PC / DCB) at 1915hr. They were almost the first birds seen upon arrival. Swallows and Pipits were both negative but Robins, the first of the winter were heard, with three singing from the wood at dusk and later edge of dark. Regular evening visits last week did not detect these. Magpies also were fresh in with none being seen previously for a considerable time. Also a report of Common Partridge with young! After sunset a small group of 6 Curlew was heard and then seen moving west, high over the moor, Dunlin calls, (several birds) were heard from the distant shore and at the very edge of dark at 2055hr the Common Sandpipers (one seen present earlier on) came alive with constant calls and circling for minutes, before the, calls became distant and rising into the sky and away unseen to the west. A worthwhile evening, which nearly didn’t happen!

Moving birds:
Swift 4 > E
Common Sandpiper 2 left west
Dunlin arrivals or passing through
Curlew 6 > W
Magpie arrivals?
Robins

Other:
Lesser black backed Gull 14 remaining (35 moving on NW)
Black headed Gull 1
Dave.

The sky tonight 27th August 2005 (c)