Oxenhope Watchpoint 23-09-2007

Sunrise from Trough Lane (c) 2007

After Sunrise from the Watchpoint (c) 2007

0700 -1030hrs (Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Chris King)

SW F5 swinging SSW F5, 11degC rising 14, 45 - 60km max, 3/8 to 8/8 max later on, a ten minute shower otherwise dry. QNH 1013 falling.

An unexpected morning in all respects with firstly the weather being much better than forecast and secondly in view of the wind the numbers of birds on the move were high except for the albas (only two today) and finches which true to form hardly showed at all. Meadow Pipit numbers were much lower than yesterday as was the flight level of the birds and many were seen to be struggling in the wind especially in the updraught above the wave wall. Most of the mipit movement took place before 0845hr when for a brief interlude the skies became devoid of birds. However Swallows were the main feature of the day with the main surge starting at c 0910hr after which c350 passed through in the following half hour preiod. Nearly all the Swallows were comming up out of the Worth Valley (appearing as if from nowhere!!) low and initilally almost overhead before tracking off south over the water. Many many groups passed in this way in close succession with the largest being c40 and this movement continued for the rest of the morning. The birds had little difficulty in the F5 opposing winds. The most interesting passage this morning was a well marked wave of Snipe totalling 32 W and SW the birds came through in groups of up to seven starting at 0945hr. This wave was concurrent with a similar movement over the hill at Cold Edge (B Sumner) so must have been a broad front feature in addition to the Snipe small numbers of Golden Plovers were also involved. The best birds of the day were a single Sand Martin > S and two small groups of Twite totalling 9 > SE. Not often that Swallow numbers exceed the mipits here!!

Moving Birds:
Meadow Pipit 261 > S
Swallow 758 > S
Starling 58 > S
Snipe 32 > W and SW
Golden Plover 33
Jackdaw 45
Sand Martin 1 > S with swallows
House Martin 21 > S
alba wagtail 2 > SW
Goldfinch 45 > SE
LBB Gull 50
BH Gull 20
Skylark 2 > W
Twite 9 > SE
Kestrel 1 > E

Other:
Wren back on the moor
Grey Squirrel 1 on the wave wall, looking like a swim!!

Dave


High Cirrostratus and lenticular cloud (c) 2007

2/3rds of this mornings team (c) 2007