Massive Thrush Movement CFWP 18-10-2008

Caldene Fields Watchpoint, Low Moor, Bradford.

Hi David
WHAT A MORNING !! AND HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE HAD THE SAME!
Log for Saturday
All the best
Martyn

18th October 08 Watch 07.15 – 10.30
Weather: A dry start with 60% high cloud cover with clearer skies to the S/W. There was a S/W F2 wind with gust to F3. Around 08.00 cloud cover reduced to around 40% again with clearer skies to the S/W. There was some ground mist to the S/E reducing visibility to around 8 miles.
Temp 7c

Comments: An unprecedented watch due to a massive thrush movement here. At times I was swamped and struggled to cope !!! as a record count of Redwings was logged with birds poured through to the S/W some at head height and some higher. I noted 2 low flying Song thrush and feel there could well have been many more mixed in with higher flying birds. Fieldfare also showed well again to the S/W. Record counts of finches could well have been recorded today as many birds were not logged due to heavy thrush movement.

Redwing Log
07.20 6 low flying birds flew S/W and rested in a nearby tree
07.30 Birds pouring through counts of 260, 150, 160, 200, were common all low flying. Many birds were observed at this time leaving overnight roost from the wooded areas around Gomersal.
08.10 Counts reduced after first wave to counts of 50, 25, 20, low flying
08.30 Counts increase again as 2nd wave begins with counts of 120, 230, 120 etc flying higher
09.00 Counts slow down to 44, 40, 17, 32 etc birds flying higher
10.00 Counts remain steady no large numbers noted

Black Headed Gull > 82 S/S/W
Wood Pigeon > 169 S
Meadow Pipit > 4 S
Alba Wagtail > 1 W + 8 S = 9
Starling > 28 S/W
Mistle Thrush > 1 S/W
Song Thrush > 2 S/W
Redwing > 4,229 S/W a site record !
Fieldfare > 517 S/W
Collard Dove > 2 S
Carrion Crow > 8 S/S/W
Chaffinch > 7 S/W + 53 N/W= 60
Greenfinch > 67 S/W + 4 N = 71
Goldfinch > 8 S/W
Redpoll > 2 S/W

2 unidentified Geese flew high to the east
2 unidentified Swans flew south

Martyn Priestley