Oxenhope 30-09-2006

Members Only Watchpoint 30-09-2006
Saturday 30th September 2006
0700 - 1100hr. (DCB, CK, HC, JS)
Weather and Sky:
A fair morning of almost open skies, little wind, heavy dew and considerable haze with cloud block down over western moors. SSW F2 becoming S F2, 8 increasing 12, Pudsey / Elslack Moor, cirrostratus 8ok with fog stratus to the west. 1003 rising 1005 hPa

A wonderful morning of mipits flooding through once again, Skylarks and more than a few Swallows. A three observer watch, all constantly occupied with moving birds. However Yesterdays Redstart, with better views turned out to be a Black Redstart and this was a distraction to the counting later on but not before most of the mipits had been clocked. Mipits were high and early with the biggest group only about 35, they were even going over home whilst stacking the car at 0645hr. Swallows came later with the largest party again high being over 40.

Moving birds:

Meadow Pipit 2750 > S
Swallow 124 > S
Jackdaw 30 > E
Snipe 2 > W
Greenfinch 43 > W
Goldfinch 15 > S and W
House Martin 4 > S
Chaffinch 20 > W
Alba 15 > S (note yesterdays albas going S NOT W!!!!!)
Starling 51 > S and W
Skylark 30 > SW mimimum – an exciting wave of birds!!
(10 > SW @ 0845, 3 @ 0910, 2 @ 0911, 3 @ 0916, 2 @ 0917, 5 @ 0925, 4 @ 0935, 1 @ 1016)

Other:

Wheatear 3
Black Redstart 1

I should have said that there was an exceptionally heavy dew this morning and that unlike yesterday there was no insect activity noted above and around the wave wall. See for day photos:

http://skyscapeyorks.blogspot.com/

We also had 5 Red Admirals and a Comma (HC) through.

Also a Chiffchaff in the wood and

Woodpigeon 2 > W

Dave