Sunday, April 10, 2005

Wheatears 10-04-2005

Hi Brian,
We had Wheatears today with a total of 13 (a good count for here, but not here for long!) on the stone pile and around the tip. Do you ever get mipits moving through / over the Trough when you are there? I know they move north and north-west along Denholme Edge and sometimes strike out over the Trough. At this time of year mid morning as I describe for the watchpoint today is a good time to get em. If you get any on the move, would be very interested to know. Thanks for continuing Wheatear info.
Dave.


----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Vickers
To: Dave Barker
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 9:41 PM
Subject: vismig
Dave,
1 Wheatear Trough Lane am today,
2 Wheatears Leeshaw Res pm.
Brian.

Cold Edge Dams 10-04-2005

Thanks very much Brian, interesting comparisons here!
Dave


----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Sumner
To: Dave Barker
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 12:10 PM
Subject: [vismig] Cold Edge Dams

0730-1100hrs
Wind: Strong > W F4-5 gusting F6 at times with light showers. Poor visibility to the S with low murky cloud, bright to the East. A steady flow of mipits all a.m. firstly moving > NW low down in the Luddenden valley then mid watch broadening out more overhead and to the E when DCB started getting them, still moving NW. All birds came from the SE from the direction of the Emley Moor TV transmitter mast area.

Moving Birds:
MEADOW PIPIT 186 > NW
SKYLARK 5 > NW

OTHER:
1 PF Goose in with Canadas
5 Snipe
1pr Reed Bunting
18 Goldfinch and sev Linnets pinching my Twite seed.
I will have to put a sign up here - "TWITE ONLY"

Brian

Watchpoint 10-04-2005

Members only watchpoint 10-04-2005
Sunday 10th April 2005
0800 – 1045hr
Weather and Sky:
A deteriorating morning after a very bright start with cloud over drawing from the west to become overcast by 1000hrs. Wind: initially WNW F3 @ 0630hrs, becoming W F5 by 0830 and remaining similar throughout. Temp: initially 5 dp 4 @ 0630, rising 8 (6degC @ wp) dp 4 by 0830 and 9 (7.5 @ wp) dp 6 by 1030hr. Precipitation: a very small amount of light rain on several occasions. Visibility: initially 25km max N (Flasby Fells), 45 km max E (Ferrybridge) – very hazy and remaining similar throughout. Cloud: initially altocumulus lenticularis with small amount of cirrus and extensive contrailing 3ok, becoming overcast soon spreading from west deep stratocumulus, with cloud / clear interface overhead by 0830. Always remaining brighter to east, initially with Ac len and milky cirrostratus but overcast 9ok before 1000hrs. Pressure: static overnight but rising during morning with 1021 @ 0630 and 1024 by 1100hrs.


Initially a birdless morning with very little in the sky and yet again no gulls until three Black headed and one first year Common passed NW at 1030hr (these were the only gulls seen). Despite advice from Brian of a good Meadow Pipit flow at Cold Edge > NW, from c0905 onwards, sky and surface scans here were futile, with nothing to report until 1000hrs when things began to change. After this we began to pick up an increasing flow of Meadow Pipits coming over the ridge from the south and also on approach low over the water towards us. In the half hour between 1000hr and 1030hr we picked up 65 Meadow Pipits with the majority moving NW – N. With the fifteen we had before 1000hrs a total of 80 were counted this morning. After this things slowed down again until we left. Other wise the morning was notable for a total of twelve Stock Dove moving between W – N in three groups – obviously now coming back into the hills. Nocturnal stuff amounted to a wave of six Wheatear arriving on the stone pile, just after 0900hrs. These filtered off N. A little later on a total of seven Wheatears were seen present on the tip whilst scanning for pipits ( a total of 13). A pretty grim morning! Advice from RHP of both Pipits and Linnets moving this morning at lower elevations.

Moving Birds:
Meadow Pipit 80 > NW – N
Stock Dove 12 > W – N
Golden Plover 15 > N
Chaffinch 3 > W
Wheatear 13 > N - ?
Black-headed Gull 3 > NW
Common Gull 1 > NW

Other:
Golden Plover c140
Dave.