Watchpoint 13-08-2006

Members Only Watchpoint 13-08-2006
Sunday 13th August 2006
0750 – 1050hr. DCB / JS
Weather and Sky:
A poor morning with initial rain, continuing from overnight, then dry but with moderate rain always visible to the NE and E forming the horizon. Cloud not breaking at all but brighter to the north and west. Wind: N F4 gusting F6. Temperature: 11degC rising 12 feeling very cold. Visibility: Ingleborough / Drax (at best). Cloud: stratus 8ok almost down on hill tops. Pressure:1012hpa and rising.

Very few moving birds at all, with those that were, very hard to spot. Mipits, more than yesterday were high and strong but the few initial Swallows were low. Just a bit of southward movement later on, but most across the wind as yesterday to the west. Bitter cold for the time of year and very damp, the first better day should be good?

Moving Birds:
Swallow 20 > W and S
Mipit 21 > W
Pied Wagtail 2 > N
Goldfinch 2 > W

Here are some recent photos which might be of interest to the moorland lovers:
Firstly a superb shot of our members only watchpoint from across the valley with many thanks to Brian Sumner:

http://hillbillybirder.blogspot.com/2006/08/soil-hill.html

And secondly a sad shot one of the big July moor fires, this one on Rombalds Moor on the north flank of Airedale:

http://skyscapeyorks.blogspot.com/2006/08/july-2006_08.html

Dave