Oxenhope 10-09-2008

SSW F3/ F4, 9degC initially, clear, 1/8 open sky, QNH 1008 rising.

Cold morning first thing but warmed up as fractus/stratocumulus gave way to bright sunshine. Drizzle set in just after left watchpoint.

This morning did not live up to expectations, especially given yesterdays poor weather.

VIS MIG

Mipits - 255 south
Swallow - 28 south
House Martin - 3 south
Alba wag - 1 west & 1 east
Siskins - 42 north west (3 groups - 15/5/22) early doors
Stonechat - 1 female via sandpit area
Skylark - 1 west
Goldfinch - 5 east

OTHER

Kestrel - 3 juvenlies on banking throughout & 2 hunting at distance
Cormorant - 2 high in from east onto res and after 20 mins set off west over moor
Starlings - 130 (3 groups)
House Martins - 30 blogging over quarry.
Swallows - many blogging over Worth & Aire valleys.

NO Chaffinch or Greenfinch whatsoever.

Cheers

Howard

Northowram / Caldene Fields

Hi Dave
Thanks for the email re the comment to my last post. I will certainly contact Andy as a bit of map work reveals Northowram is S/S/W of Caldene Fields and a lot of my stuff move S/W ie finches etc, so it could be interesting if we both turn up similar birds and counts.

In fact on the 8/9 I had my first Snipe S and Andy had 4 S/W. I had a good movement of BH Gull S/S/E he had 200 S and of course he had 17 Canada G and I had 18 unidentified geese moving about 10 miles to the south of CFs which puts them roughly in the same line and direction Andy's birds were moving.

So I think we both need to keep an eye on each others sites as who knows later info could confirm a lined migration route.

All the best
Martyn

Caldene Fields Watchpoint 10-09-2008

10th September 08 Watch 0.6.45 – 08.30
Weather: A dry sunny start to the morning with a hint of a S/SE wind with an odd gust to F1. 30% high thin cloud with thicker greyer skies to the S/E. Temp a 1c drop to 9c

Comments: The overhead cloudless skies meant some birds were moving very high and only calls of some birds were noted mainly Alba wagtails and Meadow Pipits. The first moving Song Thrush went through to the N/W and probably the first genuine passage Starlings were noted moving to the S/W. Swallow as usual here in autumn were moving in two directions S and N/N/W in small numbers. BH Gulls again moved to the S/S/E

Mallard > 1 S/W
BH Gull > 433 S/S/E
Swallow > 17 S + 26 N/N/W
Grey Wagtail > 1 S/W
House Martin > 3 S/W
Starling > 2 S/W
Meadow Pipit >2 S
Song Thrush > N/W
Greenfinch > 9 S/W
Redpoll >1 S

Martyn Priestley