Oxenhope Watchpoint 02-10-2007

Mist in Airedale at Dawn (c) 2007

Before Sunrise (c) 2007

Sunrise (c) 2007

0645 - 0945hr (Dave Barker)
E F1 rising E F3, 6degC rising 8, 30km reducing 100m, 1/8 increasing 8/8, Dry, QNH 1024 steady.

Despite being on site for 3 hours only the first 75 minutes were countable as after a brilliant sunrise and dawn, very dense fog forming and invading from Calderdale closed in and shut the morning down for good. That first 75 minutes were however amongs the best of the year with mipits and record numbers of albas absolutely piling through on a broad front, all hard south. Both species were on the go long before sunrise and could today even be scoped, silhouetted by and as they crossed the deep red disc of the rising sun. As the mist formed, dew fell and the fog closed in from the south it was apparent that many of the mipits were continuing high above the fog up in the clear. Other birds were two seperate Merlins also powering south, a total of five Song Thrush going back fast to the south east, a Grey Heron high NW and a single Collared Dove also high NW. However by just before 0800hr things got so bad that counting had to stop. A Ring Ouzel was heard tchakking from the wood in the fog

Moving Birds (in 75minutes):
Meadow Pipit 526 > S
alba wagtail 79 > S
Woodpigeon 5 > W
Song Thrush 5 > SE
Collared Dove 1 > NW
Merlin 2 > S
Grey Heron 1 > NW
Redpolls heard
Stonechat 2

Other:
Ring Ouzel 1+
Grey Squirrel 1.... looking like a swim!

Dave


Fog Invading (c) 2007

Deep Fog Established (c) 2007