Oxenhope 17-08-2008

Nan Scar and Paul Clough (c) 2008

Leeming, Leeshaw and Haworth Moor Beyond (c) 2008

The Trailing Edge of the Overnight Rain Front Departing (c) 2008

0720 - 1100hr
Calm to SW F4, 10deg C rising, 25 increasing 65km, heavy overnight rain ceased, 3/8 reducing, QNH 1001 starting to rise.

Initially deep fog banks lingering and gradually retreating NE after heavy overnight rain recently ceased. At 0715hr mipits were everywhere in the fields, approach roads, fences and walls. All were congregating, blogging / gradually moving through, ground hopping when pressured west. At least 200 were seen. By 0800hrs not a mipit could be found.... all had moved on. After 0800hr, Swallows were moving SW down the trailing edge of the by now well cleared rain front. Most were high and were passing over the Aire-Calder watershed through the Causeway Foot col. Swallow movement ceased before 0830hr. A conversation with BS later in the morning concluded that his Swallows through Ogden (c200 > S) must have been travelling south down and above the Worth Valley, up the Cloughs and over the moor, down the very back edge of the clearing rain front especially as CK had seen / heard Swallows as the fog was on its way out. At 0841hr a wader sp of pluvialis size and proportion passed distantly just above eye height out to the NE in quite a languid manner. The bird didnt give its self away by calling. Foolishly I tried to photograph it rather than scope it and I was left wondering what it was until I got home and did the processing..... see results below. A single House Martin went west mid morning as did a high group of five Siskin > SW.

Moving Birds:
Meadow Pipit 215 > W
Swallow 54 > SW
Wader sp 1 > W
House Martin 1 > W
Siskin 5 > SW
Kestrel 7

Dave

Wader sp > West..... not too hard... have a guess at what you think (c) 2008

Saturated Mipit.... after overnight rain (c) 2008