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

 

 

Caldene Fields Watchpoint 15-10-2007

15th of October 07  Watch  07.15 – 9.15am

Weather:  A dry start to the morning with 100% heavy low misty cloud clearing to 80% cloud to  the N/W around 08.00 with visibility down to 1 mile.  F1 S/W wind. Temp 10c

 

Comments: A good morning but could have been much better if not for heavy low cloud from 07.15 till 08.00 when calls only were noted, mainly fieldfare. Around 08.00 a small improvement in cloud cover allowed the continental Starling push to be seen which followed the same pattern as yesterday. 

 

Black Headed Gull >5E +19 S Total =24

Golden Plover6 N/W

Meadow Pipit > 3S

Alba Wagtail >  2N + 12S/S/W Total =14

Redwing > 28 S/E + 92 N/W Total = 120

Fieldfare >24 N/W

Starling >484N/W

Carrion Crow >4S

Chaffinch > 24 N/NW

Greenfinch > 37 N/W

Goldfinch > 5S

Redpoll > 5S

Reed Bunting > 1S

 

Martyn Priestley

Denholme Clough 14-10-2007

An overcast morning with little or no wind.

A reasonable morning but the birds were just trickling through albeit in flocks rather than ones or twos, this lead to quite good numbers despite me not being very busy. As you've already heard from David, the Pinkfeet movement overhead was quite exciting in our part of West Yorkshire. I have not listed the 430+320 Pinkfeet that flew directly over me. I managed to get a recording of the first flock!

Starling 222,
Redwing 289,
Fieldfare 37,
Meadow Pipit 214,
Snipe 2,
Skylark 2,
Reed Bunting 1,
Woodpigeon 61,
Siskin 3,
Redpoll 17,
Greenfinch 41,
Chaffinch 35,
Goldfinch 24,
Brambling 8
Mistle Thrush 5,
Blackbird 1,
Song Thrush 2,
Collared Dove 3,
Pied Wagtail 1,
Grey Wagtail 1,
Dunnock 2,
LBBGull 22,
Common Gull 1,
Black-headed Gull 12,
Mallard 1

others;
Chiffchaff 3, Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tit 12+, Redwings
2 Roe Deer locking antlers

regards
Mark