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Dave.

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Watchpoint 31-07-2005 late pm.

Members only watchpoint 31-07-2005
Sunday 31st July 2005 late pm /early eve
1630 - 1945hr
Weather and Sky:
A deteriorating afternoon. Initially bright and sunny with well spaced stratocumulus 3ok, open sky overhead, but heavy cu sp cloud approaching from SW and W, also filling in to east to become 7ok by 1830hr. Wind initially NW F3, soon becoming light and variable and ultimately WSW F 2. Temp: 16 dp 10. Visibility: >Leck Fell / max Humber Bridge. Cloud: as above. Pressure: rising quickly 1014, becoming 1016.

A very typical late afternoon wader passage at the watchpoint in conjunction with worsening conditions. Greeted on arrival by Greenshank calls from the opposite shore, but a flighty bird and soon moved on high west. Upto c 1830hr a total of 29 Swifts were noted going WSW, movement at all ranges both to my east and west – none were feeders. A few Sand Martins totalling seven in singles all went c SSE, both low and higher. Gulls were very numerous, not especially at the reservoir but out over Airedale, with many soaring and gradually seeming to move on west or north-west. At c1830 the cloudbase approaching from the west reduced and over drew dramatically and just as dramatic was a Whimbrel seven whistling straight through south-east. As the sky became yet darker a single Dunlin left low and then banked up high in a zig zagging climb > NW. This followed by an other group of four Dunlin with a Ringed Plover with them all much higher than the first one. All went off NW into the gloom and Lancashire bound. Yet more waders west were a total of 15 Curlew, all over fliers. On checking the Gulls again just before leaving a Yellow Legged Gull was in with the Lessers.

Moving birds:
Swift 29 > WSW
Sand Martin 7 > SSE
Swallow none
Gulls many
Dunlin 5 > NW
Ringed Plover 1 > NW with Dunlins
Greenshank 1 > W
Whimbrel 1 > SE
Curlew 15 > W
Yellow Legged Gull, would probably leave NW

Other:
Goosander 15
And more………..
Dave
All photographs below (c)DCB

Watchpoint 31-07-2005 late pm

Greenshank


Goosanders


Lancashire Bound


Gulls and Islands

Watchpoint 31-07-2005

Members only watchpoint 31-07-2005
Sunday 31st July 2005
0850 - 1130hr
Weather and Sky:
A gradually improving morning with reducing wind, cloud but remaining cool. No sun. Wind: initially NNW F4 @ 0730, becoming N F3 by 0900, later reducing N F1, before picking up N F3 again in conjunction with reducing cloud and brightness approaching from east. Temp: initially 11 dp 7, reducing 10 dp 7 by 0900 before picking up 12 dp 7 by 1130hr. Visibility: >Leck Fell / >Drax. Cloud: low stratus throughout becoming stratocumulus and then cumulus mediocris to and from east. Pressure: rising overnight with 1013 @ 0730 and 1014 by 1115.

Again totally empty skies for long periods of the morning, only picking up for a brief interlude of a very few Swifts and Pied Wagtails both going NE between 1030 and 1100hr. Otherwise a single broadly compact group of c70 Swallows were noted beyond the south corner of the reservoir at 0930hr, on the move and continuing over the in-bye and away south-west. Otherwise three Curlew > west in one group, two Oystercatchers south and a Dunlin (not the one in the photograph appended to this mail, which is in Summer plumage) on one of the islands, which may ultimately have left were the only waders. Generally speaking since last weekend the post breeding flocks of Curlew, Lapwing several Common Sands, Meadow Pipits, Linnets have all moved on with virtually none to be seen. Generally despite Brian (at Cold Edge) constantly telling me about frequent groups of Swift dropping in to his site, before moving on east, very few were seen here, with no earlies at all. With regard to gulls a small group of four Common Gulls, first heard yicking on approach dropped in at c0940 before moving on NW quickly.

Moving Birds:
Swallow 74 > SW incl one group of 70
Swift 15 > NE
Oystercatcher 2 > S
Curlew 3 > W
Pied Wagtail 8 > NE
Grey Wagtail 1 > NE
Common Gull 4 > NW
Gulls

Other:
Lesser black backed Gull 120
Black headed Gull c200
Herring Gull 2 (not YLHG)
Common Gull 2
Greenfinch, Goldfinch
Dunlin 1


Dunlin in Summer (c)DCB

Dave.

Cold Edge Dams 31-07-2005

Thanks Brian.
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Sumner
To: Dave Barker
Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2005 12:09 PM
Subject: [vismig] Cold Edge Dams
0730-1100hrs
First day of autumn vis mig watch.
Cold NNW > F3-4 dropping mid morning.
Overcast with slight breakthrough of sun.
Good visibility.

All movement after 0830 when wind started to drop.
SWIFT 135 > E
SWALLOW 59 > SW
HERON 1 > W
LAPWING 1 > W
All area now void of Curlew, Common Sand, Mipits and Stonechat.
Brian.