Watchpoint 11-10-2005

Members only watchpoint 11-10-2005
Tuesday 11th October 2005
0710 - 1100hr (DCB, JS, SG)
Weather and Sky:
A deteriorating morning with overdrawing skies, lowering cloudbase and the onset of the lightest of drizzle with poor visibility throughout. Wind: ESE F2 initially at 0530hr increasing ESE F3 before swinging S F3 at 1045hr. Temp: 13 @ 0530hr, remaining similar, 15 at 1000hr, with 18 by 1130hr. Visibility: c3500m initially at 0730, improving c5500m max. Precipitation: some very light drizzle later on but prior to this air becoming very moist. Cloud: stratus, deep stratocumulus with initially various alto visible above initially. Pressure: continuing fall since yesterday until c 0600hr when QNH 1007hpa. Appearing as if it might be going to trough out as fall ceasing and slight rise to 1008hpa by 1100hr.

Poor visibility and very dark light spoiling what could have been a much better morning, totally stripping necessary detail from the more distant finch movements which were the strongest feature of the morning. Sorry, but much of this more distant finch movement could only be recorded as finch sp today but we did the best we could. Continuing extent of disappointment today on the Meadow Pipit front today with flows further reduced and often only single birds going through now. Still many Jackdaws seen, even with much reduced sphere of vision and some continuing movement west and north-west especially later in the morning. Starlings were from the word "go" strong in relation to past days with many going hard south and movement continuing throughout the morning (neither the normal roost dispersal direction or pattern). Lapwings also suggesting further onset of movement and the first reasonable group of Redwings (a single group of 60 at 0845hr) went fast west below the low cloud base. Despite specifically looking, these were the only Redwings that could be encountered today. So, we seem to be on the edge of ""all change"" here with the first pointers of things to come!!

Wigeon 25
Mallard 10 > S /SW
Kestrel 3
Golden Plover 5 > S / W
Lapwing 53 > S / W
Snipe 1 > S
Black-headed Gull 238 > S / W
Common Gull 8 > SW
Lesser Black-backed Gull 60 > S / W
Swallow 7 > S
Meadow Pipit 108 > S
Grey Wagtail 2 > W
Pied Wagtail 13 > SE / S / SW
Redwing 60 > W
Mistle Thrush 2
Jay 1 > NW
Magpie 8 influx
Jackdaw 83 some west and north-west
Rook 10
Carrion Crow 21
Starling 416 > mainly S
Chaffinch 142 > SE/ S/ SW xroads?
Brambling 1 > calls from Chaffinch flock in wood
Greenfinch 70 > S / W
Goldfinch 66 > S / SE
Siskin 56 > S / SE / SW
Redpoll 4 > SW
Fringilla / Carduelis sp 356 various southerly xroads?
Reed Bunting 1 > W?

Total: 1830 individuals, 29 species, 3:50 hours, two observers and Sean (photographer)

Dave.