Norr Hill Wilsden 20-10-2007

1600 - 1700hr

SW F2, 3/8

 

A interesting hour on the hill today with typical late October birds seen. First off a Short-eared Owl was flushed from a sunny sheltered spot behind one of the walls, this flew a short distance before perching in a very confiding manor on one of the fence posts. It was later seen high circling over the hill. Next a couple of Snipe and a Woodcock were flushed from one of the roughs. Just six Skylarks left on the north shoulder of the hill with last weeks influx moved on. Most interesting was a considerable influx of alba wags with eight birds seen on / in and around the surrounding fields. Two that were seen well showed the characteristics of "white"!

 

Short-eared Owl 1

Snipe 2

Woodcock 1

Skylark 6

alba wagtail 8

 

Dave

Oxenhope 20-10-2007

Sunrise from the wachpoint (c) 2007

0715 - 1000hr (Dave Barker / Howard Creber / Chris King)
SW F2, 2degC frost increasing 10, 45km max, 1/8 essentially an open sky, QNH 1035 steady.

A Good morning with a very busy first 90 minutes, after that things slowed down a bit except for the Starlings which seemed to increase. With the open skies birds were difficult to pick up but despite this there just wernt as many birds in the sky as yesterday. 75 broad front groups of thrushes were noted all going cWNW, totalling 2565 of which the largest was 400, a single species flock of very high Fieldfare over the moor. As usual Woodpigeons were noted moving south west and mainly by scoping out to our east. Starlings were passsing in fast squadrons all to the NW.

Moving Birds:
Fieldfare 1775 > W and NW
Redwing 790 > W and NW
Starling 495 > NW
Siskin 7 > S
Greenfinch 14 > S and W
Woodpigeon 475 > SW
Finch sp 55 > S and W
Chaffinch 26 > S and NW
alba wagtail 5 > SW
Skylark 1 > W
Reed Bunting 5 > W
Mistle Thrush 9 > NW
Redpoll 20 > E
Meadow Pipit 23 S and W
Jackdaw 44 > W
Red Admiral 5 > SW

Dave


Open Skies Throughout (c) 2007

Caldene Fields Watchpoint 20-10-2007

Caldene Fields Watchpoint, Low Moor

 

20th of October 07 07.15 – 10.00am

Weather:  A dry frosty morning with ground mist and low thin cloud. No wind direction was noted. With full sun and visibility to 1 mile viewing conditions were below average. Temp -1c

 

Comments: An excellent push of Fieldfare moving N/W in a narrow track directly over Caldene fields and even allowing for viewing conditions I could see the birds were not moving through here on a broad front.  Woodies were also moving S and these were moving on a broad front so I suspect my total is a small reflection of the real movement. 

 

Black Headed Gull > 64 S

Wood Pigeon > 211 S

Meadow Pipit > 3 N/W

Alba Wagtail >  16 S

Redwing > 20/S/W

Fieldfare > 35 S/W + 1,072 total = 1107

Starling > 363 N/W

Jackdaw > 1 N/W + 3 S total= 4

Carrion Crow >7S/W + 4 N/W total = 11

Chaffinch > 4 N + 6 S Total =10

Greenfinch > 46 N/W

Goldfinch > 8S + 4 N total = 12

Linnet > 2 N

Redpoll > 1S

 

Martyn Priestley