Oxenhope 20-09-2008

Dawn This Morning.... Altocumulus Perlucidus (c) 2008

Sunrise Today Through the Haze (c) 2008

0650 - 1030hr DB/HC/CK (NK Soil Hill)
WSW F1 to SW F3, 11degC rising 17, 20km reducing 5km haze to E, 3/8 altocumulus improving open, QNH 1030 steady.

Altocumulus to the east with open sky to the west initially with much insect activity in the air. A brilliant morning to be out at dawn with a strong but very high post sunrise push of Meadow Pipits south albeit exhausted prior to 0730hr. A further minimal wave came between 0800 and 0830 but then virtually no moving mipits for the rest of the morning. However whilst few were moving many on the blog were seen as the morning progressed. As yesterday Chaffinch were moving west, most were high but a few stopped off briefly in the nearby trees. Otherwise there was little visible common passerine movement this morning. At just after 0800hr a phone call was received from BS (at work this morning) telling of an adult Hobby which NK (currently on nearby Soil Hill) had seen from a distance high overflying our site SSE. We had missed this bird. The bird continued over Soil and off high towards Queensbury (thanks Nigel and Brian). At 0915hr a Common Buzzard was picked up lumbering SW up the Worth Valley the bird continued SW and would have gone out through Nab Water col and SW into Calderdale. Several parties of Swallows also came up out of the Worth basin and away high south (largest party 19). At 1020hr Crossbills were heard on approach over the wood from the NE, these (five) came at us almost head on and away out over the stone pile SW. Finally with regard to the mipits, if the blogging we saw throughout the mid to later part of the morning is reflected over the whole of the Country to our north there are still lots of birds in reserve most likely waiting for a push from the weather. Otherwise at least 20 Red Admirals were seen at intervals through the mid to late morning all were flying SE.

Moving birds in order of appearance:
Meadow Pipit 351 > S with just a few north.
Reed Bunting 2 > W
alba wagtail 6 > SW
Siskin four lots all too high to see c 12 > SW
Carrion Crow 2 > E
Chaffinch 37 > W
Stonechat 3
Skylark 11 mainly > W
Swallow 78 > S
Hobby 1> SSE missed by us (NK from Soil Hill)
Goldfinch 7 > W
LBB Gull 18 > S
Grey Wagtail 2 > W
Chiffchaff 1
Redpoll 4 > SW
Willow Warbler 1
Starling 8 > WSW
Lapwing 37 > W
Wood Pigeon 1 > E
Golden Plover 1 > W
Greattit 1
Common Buzzard 1 > SW
Goldcrests arrived in wood.
Linnet 4 > SW
Long tailedtits arrived in wood.
Crossbill 5 > SW

Dave

Open Sky To The North West (c) 2008

Yesterdays Snipe > W (c) 2008

Yesterdays Redshank Overhead > North West (c) 2008