Oxenhope 05-10-2008

Low Stratus overhead but Hope out to the North! (c) 2008

Clear Edge to the back edge of the Stratus comes closer! (c) 2008

Goosanders > South (c) 2008

Oxenhope W.Yorks
0715 - 1130hr DB/HC/SL
Calm - NE F3, 6degC increasing 7.5, 4 increasing 80km+, light drizzle initially, 8/8 decreasing 3/8 stratus, QNH 996 rising 1001.

Heavy rain overnight with back edge of the front visible far to the north at dawn. During the watch the low stratus (c1400ft asl base) cleared to the south with exceptionally clear open sky following on. No moving birds initially and no early morning rush but things soon improved with groups of upto 31 mipits passing both south and west through the retreating fractus. As the clear back edge of the front and clear open sky to the north beyond became prominent, considerable movement of Lapwing (one exceptionally large skein initially resembling distant geese) and Golden Plovers was picked up out in the clear to our north. Throughout the morning ten small groups of Golden Plover were seen, all going south east. Mipits (first not until 0745) also continued throughout the morning and Greenfinch were moving in the largest numbers so far this autumn. Two well spaced Merlins, today both low birds, powered south at 0755 and 0911 and at 0853 a group of mixed thrushes including 7 Mistles, a Song and most interestingly a Fieldfare came into the wood from high east and settled on one of the electric lines. As the sky cleared visibility to the N and NE became very impressive with even the guy wires on the Bilsdale West Moor Tyne Tees transmitter mast in the NY Moors becoming visible at 80km!

Moving birds in order of appearance:

Meadow Pipit 458 > S and W
Merlin 2 > S
LBB Gull 67 S and N
Redwing 2 > W
Lapwing 331 > NW
Redpoll 9 > S and NW
Golden Plover 76 > mainly SE
Greenfinch 53 > E
Starling 2 > W
Chaffinch 33 > S
Mistle Thrush 38 > W incl one group of 20
Song Thrush 2 > W
Fieldfare 1 > W
Green Woodpecker 1
Blackbird 2
Skylark 1 > W
Carrion Crow 9 > NW
Goosander 6 > S
Raven 3
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 1
Rook 2 > E
Jackdaw 1 > W

Dave

The Back edge of the Front (c) 2008

Clear / Cloud Interface Overhead @ c1045hr (c) 2009