Forecasts / Co-ordinated Watches

Forecasts / Co-ordinated Watches
Good ideas Steve. I will give the weather ground rules some thought, but bird vis forecasts are notoriously difficult, except in obvious cases, but am willing to learn by having a go when I can. The difficulty is that they are I believe at times very local in the hills and Loughborough / Oxenhope are a long way apart but the idea attracts me and I will give it some thought. Have you seen the BirdTam and BAMBAS sites from the continent? Agree some co-ordinated watches would be good and the vismig site would be ideal to discuss / arrange / publish them – anyone suggest any dates etc? And who would be interested in having a go?

Every one please respond to this mail,
Many Thanks
Dave.

Oxenhope 28-08-2006

Members Only Watchpoint 28-08-2006
Monday 28th August 2006
0730 – 1100hr. DCB / BV / HC
Weather and Sky:
A deteriorating morning with deep cumulonimbus approaching from the west and becoming established with rain by 1045hr.W F 5, 10 rising 13, Humber Bridge / Ingleborough max, initially cirrus 2ok, cumulonimbus to west and advancing very rapidly, stratocumulus to east and north. 1006 rising 1007.

Only a fair morning, with winds a bit too strong, however mipits, loads more than yesterday trickling through west all of the time, much more hop – skip – go than in the main season, but always, always west. The Swallow wave did not arrive until c 1000hr and then was a poor effort – probably supreme for the birds though and again a couple of well spaced Swift singles were detected.

Moving Birds:
Swallow 47 > W and S
Mips 176 > W
Ringed Plover 1
Goldfinch 5 > W
Linnet 1 > W
Swift 2 > W
Grey Wag 3 > W
House Martin 10 > SE

Other:
Whinchat 2
Wheatear 2

Dave

Glovershaw 28-08-2006

David,

A walk around the Glovershaw area this morning showed that there had been a significant clear out following the strong winds and heavy rain of the past 24 hours. A gentle north-westerly with clearing skies was in marked contrast to last week when there was certainly more birds about. I was giving up hope of anything after a half mile of no birds at all, but then, I noticed some movement in the fields below the moorland fringes and there much to my delight were some Wheatears and Stonechats. More Wheatears were seen along the wall as I marched towards the Golf Course. At this point, two Whinchats were flitting amongst the tall grasses, wall and fence posts. I made my way back across the fields where the Wheatears had been seen and on closer inspection it was clear that the two groups I'd seen on the outward walk had come together. A count showed that nine birds were thereand two Stonechats were making use of the walls. As I arrived back at my car on the Glen Road, a maleYellowhammer obligingly sat on the bracken.

In short : 9 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 2 Whinchat, 8Meadow Pipt, 1 Yellowhammer.

Cheers,
Paul King.