Oxenhope 09-11-2008

First Sun over Catstones and Harden Moor (c) 2008
















Deep Stratus over the Dales... looking north (c) 2008
















The Goose Window Shuts.....looking east (c) 2008

Stratocumulus after the rain (c) 2008

0755 - 1045hr

SF3 rising S F5, 2.5degC, 100km + Lincolnshire Wolds, 4/8 - 8/8 various, QNH 1001 rising then falling.

Heavy rain during the early part of the night now cleared leaving clear skies to the east, giving an open red ball sunrise. Bitter cold in the strengthening southerly winds but fortunately shelter behind the wall!! Several points of note this morning, firstly pinkfeet were on the move! Large numbers were picked up going south, south south east and east. At Oxenhope, not many came directly overhead today but within the time periods 0850 -0940hr I could constantly see skeins through the scope travelling in the above directions way out to my east beyond Bradford all very high in the sky with the Yorkshire Wolds, Humber Bridge, Drax, Eggborough, Ferrybridge and the Lincolnshire Wolds as a back drop...... A vis watchers dream!!! especially when I wasnet the only one to get them!! Many of the skeins were just to me resolveable as moving hairs and snakes in the sky!! but I did estimate a count of the eleven skeins seen which came to 277 > E and 805 > S and SSE. After 0950hr the goose window seemed to close as a rain band pushed up from the south, it certainly shut off my visibiliy. I waited long past it clearing but the passage never resumed. I did alert Andy at Skegness radar, just incase they hit the coast north of him there on the North Shore. So far as I could see there was no change of direction and re-orientation west up Airedale to cross the Pennines today. Other points of interest were that Starlings were again on the move fast NW throughout the morning. the largest group was c100. Blackbirds also have reached us here with at least 3 groups totalling 36 coming up the valley from the south east and continuing on NW, two of the diffuse groups struck out high over the Worth basin.

Moving birds in order of appearance:

Starling 530 > NW

Woodpigeon 30> S

Pink footed Geese 277 > E + 805 > S = 1082

alba wagtail 1 > W

Meadow Pipit 2 > W

Blackbird 36 > NW

Golden Plover 61 > S

Whilst scoping the geese it is very possible that I missed some of the more local vis!!!

Dave

Here are a few landmark shots:

Ferrybridge Today.... looking east (c) 2008

Eggborough Today..... looking east (c) 2008

Drax Today...... looking east (c) 2008