Oxenhope 06-10-2008

Dawn... Sky to the South (c) 2008

Sun just Up.... team in action! Sky to the NW (c) 2008

Mid Morning... Sky to the South (c) 2008

Oxenhope W Yorks.
0710 - 1100hr DB/HC
S F2, 2.5 deg C Frost rising 8.2, 20km increasing 65km+, 4/8 reducing 1/8, QNH 1010 steady.

Initially deep stratus out to the east with open sky overhead and to the west. A strong white frost made the embankment very slippery at first light. A good morning here with both good numbers and a good diversity of species. Mipits still going well despite the dearth during last week, moving from arrival until c 0845 when slowed to stop. Finches really getting going with mostly best counts to date (excl Siskin and Redpoll), A good alba morning, again the best to date. Jackdaws (following yesterdays single) continuing to pass through with a group of 15 picked up way out to the east very high at 0925hr. These continued to approach loosing hight and came right over the watchpoint and then away to the west, gaining height all of the time they crossed the Worth basin high and away over Crow Hill and into Lancashire. A series of photographs was taken and at least one had a strong white neck band (see below). A single Fieldfare was again present in the wood (probably yesterdays bird?). At 1020hr a large skein of Pinkfeet (c140) were located on distant approach way out over the Aire Valley travelling NW these were gaining height all the time as they went. They crossed the Worth basin exceedingly high, continuing way up above Keighley Moor and into Lancashire. As it was still possible to follow these in the scopes, we did so and were quite supprised when shortly after passing in to Lancashire the whole skein did a 90deg turn to put them on a SW heading, the direction of the Ribble which they would certainly be able to see in the now exceptionally clear conditions.

Moving Birds in order of appearance:

alba wagtail 43 > SE and S
Meadow Pipit 557 > S
Chaffinch 138 > SE
Green Woodpecker 1
Merlin 1 > SE at 0735
Redpoll 32 > SE
Magpie 2 singles high > W
Goldfinch 64 > SE
Lapwing 8 > NW
Starling 15 > various
Fieldfare 1
Mistle Thrush 15 > W
BH Gull 35 > S
Greenfinch 99 > SE
Siskin 4 > SE
Skylark 2 > SE
LBB Gull 10 > S
Reed Bunting 1 > W
Rock Pipit 1 > NW at 0919hr
Jackdaw 15 > W at 0925
Stonechat 3
Blackbird 6 > W
Linnet 3 > W
Pink footed Goose c140 > NW at 1020hr
Snipe 2 > W
Golden Plover 2 > SE

Dave

Jackdaws Moving West (c) 2008

Jackdaws Moving West (c) 2008

Jackdaws Moving West (c) 2008

At least one migrant Jackdaw with white neck band (c) 2008

Jackdaws moving west (c) 2008

Pinkfeet high west (c) 2008
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