Watchpoint 17-02-2006eve

Members only watchpoint 17-02-2006 eve
1600 – 1750hr
Weather and Sky:
A bright and sunny afternoon, cold, but grand to be out! Wind: W F2. Temperature: 1.9degC and falling at 1720hr. Visibility: Settle / Ferrybridge, very hazy. Precipitation: a few flakes of snow. Cloud: rapidly developing cumulus from west, 3ok. Pressure: 985hpa and rising quickly.

Since visit last weekend (c1600 small gulls) Gull roost has broken here with only 26 Black headed and 24 Common, with 1 Lesser present at pre roost. All of these departed ENE / E prior to roost, with none remaining. This happens every year here, with sometimes, hundreds departing pre roost and away cENE / E high into the darkening skies. This has been noted, going on, some nights well into March. Have always thought they would roost at the next stop in that direction (Eccup, north of Leeds or Swinsty in the Washburn), but after reading your mail Clive begin to wonder if they move on further as this move ties in with your obs of previously none, but now many on the move and now off and out to sea?? The best bird was however a wonderful Short eared Owl, quartering the in-bye, it wasent seen to catch and made off eventually NW at edge of dark.

Moving Birds:
Common Gull 24 > ENE
Black headed Gull 26 > ENE
Lesser black backed Gull 1 > ENE
Short eared Owl 1 > NW


For more skyscapes and landscapes see:
http://skyscapeyorks.blogspot.com/
or click on the "Skyscape Yorkshire" link above the "Visible Migration" logo.

Dave.