Oxenhope Watchpoint 15-10-2007

AN EXCELLENT MORNING!!

Hello Dave,

 

Here is today`s report.

 

07.15 hrs - 11.00 hrs. F2 SW increasing to F3 towards end of observation period.Initially visibility was poor - low cloud and mist over the "bumps" / sacrifice stone area to the west. Murky conditions slowly lifted, though judging by the bird calls, not before lots of Redwing and Mipits had passed overhead out of sight above the cloud base.Where cloud broke momentarily, altocumulus against blue sky was evident.    

 

Birdwise, despite early murk, an extremely "birdy" morning with plenty of movement to keep the observer continually occupied. The most obvious "spectacle" of the day was a prodigious movement of starlings all coming from the East in extremely fast, low "squadrons" - 19 different tightly packed groups throughout the morning, scewed mainly to the first half of the observation period, totalling 818 birds - the largest group amounting to 220 birds.

 

However, even this noteworthy event was eclipsed by the bird of the day - a YELLOWHAMMER (female) - on the wave wall just 10 yards from the observer.The bird was put up by a Pied Wag - it flew down into the gully towards the sand pit area and was not re-located. All in all, a TOP morning.

 

Mipits - 178 > S

Alba Wags - 29 > S & W 

Chaffinch - 83 > S

Greenfinch - 32 > W

Goldfinch - 29 > W

Linnet 1 > S

Reed Bunting - 4 >W

Brambling - 2 > W

Redpoll - 14 > S

Siskin - several heard going south

Starling - 818 > W

Redwing - 149 > W & SW

Fieldfare - 127 > W & NW

Song Thrush - > 2 W

Mistle Thrush - 3 > SW

Skylark -  2 > W 

Wheatear -  in sand pit area

YELLOWHAMMER - 1 > went east when put up by pied wag & flew into gully near wooden

bridge and not re-located.

Snipe - 1 > W

Woodpigeon - 44 > S

Lapwing - 45 > W

Jackdaw - 11 > NW  

Magpie - 1 > S

Merlin - 1 > NW

 

Others :-

Kestrel - 2

Sparrowhawk - 1

Stonechat - 4

Goosander - 6 off res early doors

LBB gull - 65 on res throughout

BH gull - circa 250 off res early doors

Carrion Crow - 6

Rook - 3

Mallard - 8

 

 

Cheers

 

HOWARD