Norr Hill 09-09-2007

Dark and Thretening Skies, looking W (c) 2007

1640 - 1740hr
WF4, 13degC, 45km, 8/8, Dry.

Not a single Meadow Pipit in the fields or on the Hill tonight, they must all have moved on in this mornings push. However four wild groups over flew west, into the wind, whilst I was up there (largest group 5, total 16). Neither were there any Swallows to be seen. On the Hill a loose flock of six Skylarks was disturbed from the rough and a large (c55) group of Linnets in the horse Paddocks was new. A few Common Gulls and and loads of BH Gulls were still moving south across the wind.

Dave


Beasts on the Hill, looking SW (c) 2007

Oxenhope Watchpoint 09-09-2007

Airedale full to the brim with mist at dawn (c) 2007

First Sun on the Moor (c) 2007

0650 - 1030hr (DCB, HC)
WSW F1 increasing F3 after 0900hr, 12degC, 20km, 4/8, mist in valleys persisting and rising to become towering fog banks with much fog spilling over from Lancashire, brief whiteout between 0850 and 0915 when the fog passed and the wind began to rise. QNH 1025hPa steady, dry

A classic and awsome morning in all respects..... a vis watchers dream in conditions usually only available in summer up here!! Yes the skies were full of birds, nearly all high and moving strongly to the south, taking no account of the topography. The morning started with mipits (probably flighted by the fogs) broad fronting through, often overhead and to the east, but mainly to our west out over the Worth basin. These peaked between 0715 and 0730hr but kept on comming throughout the watch. By the time we were enveloped in fog at 0850hr, 486 had streamed through with only very few touching down. The total count was 607 > S, massive for so early in September!!

Swallows however were even more dramatic with massive groups comming up out of the Worth basin and congregating high in the sky before moving off south. The largest group were in excess of 200 and almost certainly these were being pushed on obliquly in front of the tremendous towering fog bank making gradual progress towards us after initially spilling over from Lancashire. Group after group did the same working down in front or the edge of the fog bank. The total count was c1050 > S, awsome, for this site, a morning Howard and myself will remember for ever.

Moving Birds:

Meadow Pipit 607 > S
Redpol 5 > SW
Skylark 1 > W
Swallow c1050 > S
Greenfinch 6 > W
Golden Plover 6 > W
Carrion Crow 16 > W
Lesser BB Gull 15 > NW
Common Gull 1 > S
BH Gull 155 > S
Linnet 11 > W
alba Wagtail 5 > W
Grey Wagtail 2 > W

Other:
Wheatear 3
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 5
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Robin 6 influx
Chaffinch 2
Reed Bunting 1
Bullfinch 1+
Great Tit 1+
Goldfinch 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Not a bad list for a moorland site!!

Dave


Fog Spilling over from Lancashire (c) 2007

Brief Early September Whiteout (c) 2007

Fly Flatts 09-09-2007

09/09/2007 0715-1000hrs
Bright sunny start then banks of fog rolling over the moor from the west.Never lost visibility but remained cloudy and wind increased from W>1 to W>4.

Most of movement had stopped by 0900hrs. The massive number of Swallows DCB / HC had past their watchpoint remained over the ridge to the east of me.

SWALLOW................121 >S
MIPIT..................261 >S
SKYLARK.................5 >W
ALBA WAG................7 >W
GREY WAG................1 >W

Other :-
2 Whinchat
1pr Stonechat + 1 juv.

BS

Denholme Clough 08-09-2007

Denholme Clough - vis mig
178 Swallow, 10 H Martin, 47 Meadow Pipit, 14 Starling
13 Chaffinch, 5 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 17 Goldfinch
3 Greenfinch, 2 Siskin, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, GSWdpkr, Jay, Bullfinch

Mark D

Nab Water Lane 08-09-2007

Nab Water Lane, 2 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 2 Kestrel, 2 Raven. 1 Stonechat.             

 

Brian Vickers.