Oxenhope 07-09-2008

At the Cloudbase Again! (c) 2008

Cringles Col.... Looking North.... window below the cloud (c) 2008

0710 - 1000hr DB, CK, HC, SL.
NF2 swinging NW F2, 12degC throughout, 20km, 8/8 stratus, heavy showers, QNH 1002 rising.

A disappointing, deteriorating morning weatherwise with heavy showers leading to early abandonment. Whilst the cloudbase was down over the moors all of the cols were open. Meadow Pipits were moving well and the best to date this autumn, all were at the cloudbase and there was no blogging whatsoever by any species. The largest party was nine. Interestingly most of the Meadow Pipits were moving east this morning (89), we thought they might be southward moving birds obstructed by and skirting the cloudblock which was down over the moor to the south. 23 were going SE and just 12 west. The seemingly daily trickle of Siskin, south west continued with a single group of five moving in that direction and three Snipe went west out over Airedale. Several large high skeins of LBB Gulls were seen throughout the morning moving SE, at first glance mistakable with geese! No small gulls were seen at all. The rain finally got the better of us at 1000hrs when an exceptionally heavy storm drove us down from the watchpoint.

Moving Birds:
Meadow Pipit 124 > mainly E and SE
Carrion Crow 5 > high E
Chaffinch 2 > S
Linnet 23 > E
Starling 2 > W
Goldfinch 4 > E
Snipe 3 > W
Swallow 3 > S
Skylark 1 > W
Siskin 5 > SW
alba wag 2 > SE
LBB Gull 68 > SE

Other:
Goosander 7
Tufted Duck 2

Dave

Wainmans Pinnacle and the Settle area beyond (c) 2008

Watersheddles Col.... window below the cloud (c) 2008