Wilsden 22-01-2006

Wilsden.
Sunday 22nd January 2006
c1000 – 1130hrs
Weather and Sky:
A cold frosty but initially clearish morning, with fogs gradually forming and rising from the valleys below. Wind: initially calm, to light and variable F0 / F1, then becoming F1 / 2 SE. Temp: -1 at c0800, +0 by 1030, +1 by 1100hr. Visibility: initially c30km, reducing rapidly on the surface due to mists rising from the valleys. Cloud: milky cirrostratus 7ok. Pressure: still rising overnight with 1036hpa by 1030hr, then ridging slightly and steady later on.

Other jobs to do this morning but not preventing an expedition still in good time for, in view of the conditions and time of year, the almost expected 1100hr pinkfoot wave. The first skein was at 1035hr on the way there with the last at 1130hr.

The geese in three skeins, were far too high to be bothered with local topography and whilst all moving generally NW the skeins were well separated by direction, distance and time in the sky. None were near enough to hear and the furthest could only just be made out across the southern sky by the scopeless observer. Noted on trektellen that many Pinkfeet were on the move > N last week but these would presumably be of the Svalbard origin? It is possible, I think, that todays birds were using height to get a better tail wind as the surface winds here were crap. Any thoughts?

Moving Birds:
Pink Footed Goose: c450 > NW in three skeins.
Woodpigeon 75 > E in bits.
Starling 135 > E
Skylark 1

Dave.