Friday, October 07, 2005

Watchpoint 07-10-2005

Members only watchpoint 07-10-2005
Friday 7th October 2005
0645 - 1045hr (DCB, JS)
Weather and Sky:
A static grey and gloomy anticyclonic morning. Wind: Calm initially, then S F1 and ESE F2. Temp: 12 throughout until 1030hr, then 13 by 1045hr. Visibility: 5000m max, mist. Precipitation: slight drizzle at times. Cloud: stratus 7ok. Pressure: gradual fall during previous 24hr with 1020hpa throughout.

Much better visibility than applicable over the last few days, leading to more birds counted, however not to the extent of being able to scope the more distant movement still obscured by the mists. Meadow Pipits relative to my last visits, unbelievably few, but still well the most abundant bird with virtually all still going high south. Conditions ideal for smaller passerines with most notably a flock of nine Long tailed Tits coming high west out of and well away from the wood before returning to its shelter after presumably viewing the bare and treeless landscape beyond. Coal Tits and Goldcrests were seen / heard overhead as well as from the wood and a Blue Tit was well out of habitat at the edge of the moor. Thrushes were interesting with contact calls from 5 well time spaced Song Thrush overhead and two Redwing similar, suggesting currently more Song Thrush than Redwing over, not too unusual here for this slot in the progression of migratory species passing. No Redwing or Song Thrush were seen but several small groups / singles of thrush sp, totalling 17, probably of these species were seen going off high to the north-west. A single Blackbird went high to the east. Finches were constantly seen going in various uncoordinated directions, with twice as many Chaffinch as Greenfinch and Brambling (first return) calls heard from the wood on several occasions in amongst the Chaffinches.

Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 2
Snipe 1 > W
Curlew 3
Black-headed Gull 4 > S
Common Gull 1 > S
Lesser Black-backed Gull 12 > S
Woodpigeon, Ring Dove 12 > E
Swallow 1 > W
Meadow Pipit 135 > mainly S
alba Wagtail 5 > SE / SW / W
Blackbird 1 > E
Song Thrush 5 at least
Redwing 2 at least
Turdus spec. 17 > NW
Goldcrest 2 at least
Long-tailed Tit 9 > W
Coal Tit 1 at least
Blue Tit 1 at least
Jay 3 > E
Jackdaw 2
Carrion Crow 20
Chaffinch 44 various
Brambling 1 at least heard
Greenfinch 24 various
Goldfinch 9

Total: 318 individuals, 26 species, 4:00 hours, two observers.
Dave.

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