Watchpoint 02-08-2005

Members only watchpoint 02-09-2005.
Friday 2nd September 2005
0740 - 1100hr
Weather and Sky:
A fair weather morning, initially cloudless and with little wind. Wind: initially W F2 @ 0600hr, becoming NW F2 / calm. Temp: 8 @ 0610hr becoming 16 by 1020hr. Very heavy dew on ground at 0745hr.Visibility: Settle NNW max / Drax E max. Cloud: initially 0615hr 0ok, then cirrus and lots of persistent contrailing by 0745hr 2ok. Then from 1035hr cu humillis becoming established and soon developing cu mediocris and bigger 5ok. Pressure: rising 1024 @ 0615 to 1026hpa by 1045hr.

No congregations of Meadow Pipits seen enroute to watchpoint, but once on station overflying and passing pipits were both seen and heard with some being too high to be seen easily. Most were in three to fives with the largest being a never ending congregation of at least 55 going WSW. Swallows didn’t start to become prominent until the first group of ten passed at 0820hr and from then onwards three distinct streams both in direction and altitude were notable. As the morning went on Swallows passing became more frequent, with often small groups dropping in and then watched moving on. The Yellow Wagtails and Tree Pipits were all early, with the Grey Wagtails all later with a group of three passing WSW. Again no alba wags seen at all. Some other detail included in following list.

Moving birds:
Meadow Pipit 164 > between S and W (mainly W). As you Mavis lots of contacts from mip vis on the wing which was too high to see without lots of searching.

Swallow 208 > S, SW and W in three distinct streams (types of movement each at a different flight level). Not all of the very high ones going south could be counted as they were so difficult to see. towards the end parties were dropping in to skim the water and feed a bit, before off.

Golden Plover 6 > SW
Wheatear 1
Yellow Wagtail 3 > Sish
Tree Pipit 2 > SW
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 > WSW
House Martin 31 > various
Sand Martin 3 > SE
Goldfinch 6 > S
Cormorant 1 exceptionally high > NW

Starling - a group of 35 > N of interest (mid morning) as this was also exceptionally high and was followed for a good distance as it crossed the sky without deviation in course.
Linnet 3 > W
Grey Wagtail 6 > westish
Sparrowhawk 3
Weasel 1
Wader sp probably Dunlin 3 > W

Both Swallows (more than earlier) and small numbers of Meadow Pipit were still on the move when I left.Interesting that you have had a few Siskin today Mavis. I here tell that there have been some over Oxenhope this morning as well, with also Whinchats as well Wheatears.

Dave