Watchpoint 02-03-2006

Members only watchpoint 02-03-2006
Thursday 2nd March 2006
0900 - 1130hr
Weather and Sky:
Another brilliantly sunny, but less cold, less clear morning with open skies overhead throughout. Still a hard frost and considerable cloud including cumulonimbus, both to far NE and SSW. Puddles and ground still solid. Snow on South Dales hills as previous. Wind: WNW F2 / 3, variable to W F2. Temperature: -2degC rising to –1degC by 1130hr. Precipitation: none. Visibility: a hazy 60km / 80km max. Cloud: open sky overhead but considerable cunim both to NE and SSW, small cumulus becoming established later on. Pressure: 999hpa steady.

Very few birds in the sky and moving with as yesterday long periods of nothing at all. The Lesser black back bubble appeared to have burst with only two seen going NW today but a few small gulls going that way in addition to several moderate groups of mainly Fieldfare, totalling about 590 way up in the sky > NNW. Two groups of Curlew, calling, passed going NE. Two Canada Geese, noted flying very high and direct NE were interesting. Again several Skylark up and singing, together with a single Reed Bunting were the only passerines seen. An Oystercatcher was heard.

Moving Birds:
Lesser black backed Gull 2 > NW
Common Gull 14 > NW
Black headed Gull 6 > NW
Curlew 8 > NE
Canada Goose 2 > NE
Fieldfare c590 > NNW
Starling 90 > N
Carrion Crow 9 > NW (sorry for the original error here)
Reed Bunting 1 > S
Oystercatcher 1

For todays skyscapes and landscapes see:
http://skyscapeyorks.blogspot.com/

Dave.