Cold Edge Dams 10-07-2005

Thanks for the report Brian. Dave.

----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Sumner
To: Dave Barker
Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2005 11:01 AM
Subject: [vismig] Cold Edge Dams
0730-1000hrs
Weather: Hot and sunny. Short period of cloud cover with slight > NNW breeze. Hazy visibility.

3 Shoveler on water then off very high >E. [Rare for here].

Curlews moving > W, in groups of 12, 8, 4, 3, and 2. Very low fast direct flight.
Lapwing - 18 very high > W.

Other:
120 Lapwing by water.3 Tufted Duck.1 Moorhen.1 Snipe + usual.
Brian

Watchpoint 10-07-2005

Members only watchpoint 10-07-2005
Sunday 10th July 2005
0650 - 1030hr
Weather and Sky:
A fine cloudless almost windless early morning with brilliant sunshine, but sky soon closing in with high cloud. Anticyclonic. Wind: initially WNW F1 @ 0510hr, similar but calm to variable F1 by 0650, remaining similar but with northerly component F1 / calm. Temp: initially 15 dp 14 @ 0510, becoming 18 dp 15 by 0650hr and continuing to rise 23 dp 17 by 1100hr. Much more humid than yesterday. Visibility: initially c20km generally with mist lying in valleys at 0650. Improving to NNW: Leck, E: Ferrybridge, both very hazy max. Cloud: initially open sky @ 0510hr, becoming cirrostratus 4ok, cirrocumulus 4ok, total, 9ok but very translucent and allowing brilliant sunshine until c0930hr, when alto stratus / cumulus closing in. Pressure: slight rise overnight continuing through the morning with 1029 by 0510 and 1031 at 1100hr.

Continuing signs of change to autumn, following last week, with many small groups (5 to10’s) of Meadow Pipits disturbed from the roadsides in front of the car enroute to the watchpoint this morning at c0645. Whilst two pairs of mips were still carrying food as seen from the watchpoint, a few loose, none feeeding birds were moving between west and north, with most going west. Whilst at least two Skylarks were still singing strongly, they were also calling on the move overhead with a single going west and two going south. Swallows also showed the first sign of movement, with a group of 13 going straight on through at c0915 followed by several singles and two’s in the next half hour, all were going to the south-east. A single Sand Martin was noted low over the water, going on south-east at 0940hr. Waderwise, Curlews were moving strongly west with groups and singles as follows: 3, 1, 1, 1, 8, 2, 1, 4 totalling 21 spread throughout the morning. Many were vocal, thus drawing attention with the flight call only. Nearly all were low across the moor but two or three were out over Airedale and almost certainly those out of earshot would have been missed. Lapwings, many in poor condition moved in small groups and singles, all very high to the south and west. Again it is very likely that some of this move would have been missed as due to height they were not at all prominent. A couple of Oystercatchers and Golden Plovers went between SW and NW. [[After last Sunday’s big clearout?? and following the widespread thunderstorms and poorer weather over Europe generally this last week??]], transient? Swifts were again very few with only a total of 16 birds seen moving between north and west – all were very high and scoped birds. There were no Swift or hirundine feeding congregations on the updraughts. Gulls were very much as yesterday with very considerable very high movement straight through although many BHG were seen to just leaf-fall in from on high.

Moving birds:
Golden Plover 2 > NW
Starling 147 > NW from roost
Curlew 21 > W
Skylark 1 > W, 2 > S
Swift 16 > NW – SW
Lapwing 26 > W with few S
Oystercatcher 2 > SW
Wader sp 1 > W
Mallard 27 > SW
Mipit about 10 > W – N
Grey Wagtail 1 > W
Sand Martin 1 > SE
Swallow 22 > S and SE
Gulls: many moving as yesterday.

Other:
Pied Wagtail 3 juvs only
Jackdaw 61 scarce here
Rook 12
Tufted Duck 1
Local Swallows feeding big young.
Linnets currently by far the most common passerine but no real movement, Goldfinch, Greenfinch present.

Dave.