Pennine Skywatch: 3 Sept 2005

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Oxenhope 03-09-2005

Interesting stuff, Brian!
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Vickers
To: daveb
Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 7:54 PM
Subject: Todays sightings.

Dave,
Paul Clough:
1 Blackcap
2 Spotted Flycatchers,
6+ Bullfinch,
4+ Chiffchaff,
5+ Siskin,
10+ Chaffinch.

A larger flock of what appeared to be Siskin moved out of the bottom of the clough heading over the res.

Watchpoint:
14 Teal arrived at 1600hr, they quickly departed west
7 Common gull present.

Regarding your comments on the swimming Squirrel on the 1/9, I found one on the wall on 31/8 in a semi comatose state, then on the 1/9 at 1500hr I also observed one swimming across the reservoir. It also appeared to drown two thirds of the way across. What, I wonder is inducing this Lemming like behaviour, could it be Magic mushrooms? or feeding on overripe Elderberries?

Brian.

Watchpoint 03-09-2005

Members only watchpoint 03-09-2005
Saturday 30th September 2005
0730 – 1030hr
Weather and Sky:
An improving morning but only just. Early fogs clearing but calm soon becoming strong wind with low threatening cloud persisting. Wind: Calm @ 0630hr becoming ESE F 3 by 0730hr, then picking up rapidly to ESE / SE F5 by 0830hr and remaining similar throughout. Precipitation: a little light drizzle at times, with dew point keeping track of temperature. Temp: 11 @ 0630, 13 by 0900 and 14 by 1030hr. Visibility: very hazy throughout c5km max. Cloud: initially fog stratus @ 0630hr, becoming stratocumulus, cirrocumulus with some hooked cirrus and low fractus, 7ok and not improving throughout. Pressure: steady 1030hpa.

An evil morning with birdless skies. Just a very few Meadow Pipits, went west, together with a single Grey Wagtail. Swallows were possibly just starting to move, mainly SE, when I had to leave. At 0840hr calls from a high flock of Siskin, which sounded to be going SW were clearly heard as they passed over but the birds could not be seen. Again most decidedly the main interest was none avian, with yet another Grey Squirrel on the moor, which knew where it wanted to go and we were quite definitely in the way. For long enough it sat and hissed at us as it proceeded down the wall top towards us and then not wanting to deviate or possibly risk the water, it continued gingerly on along the wall top only a couple of feet from us. At one time I thought it was going to jump on to my scope and away. But it continued on and by. When Mark arrived a little later, his immediate words were "The Resurrection" but really I think squirrel migration would be more to the point??

Moving Birds:
Meadow Pipit 27 > W
Swallow 32 > SE
Snipe 4 > W
Siskin flock > SW
Chaffinch 4 > N
Pied Wagtail 1 (calls)
Grey Wagtail 1 > W

By afternoon the cloud had lifted, with sunshine and warmth, but still with the SSE F5 wind. Between 1630hr and 1730hr a total of 57 Swallows were noted generally moving SE and into the wind. All were low, not easy to count and in ones and small groups.

Dave.