Battle of the Giants!!

Came across these two rolling about in the road the other day after the vis watch, locked in mortal combat and pulling lumps of feathers and flesh from each other!! Both totally oblivous to my presence.........

Ten Photographs all (c) DB 2008

Caldene Fields Watchpoint 21-10-2008

Sun Up over East Bierley(c) MP 2008

21st October 08 Watch 07.15 – 09.00hr
Weather: A damp start with 40% high cloud with clearer skies to the east and a F3/4 W/S/W wind. A drop in temp to 6c. These conditions quickly deteriorated around 08.00 as rain clouds pushed in from the south giving fairly persistent light to heavy rain. Ground visibility at 07.15 to 10 miles reducing to 3 miles by 09.00

Comments: A fairly poor watch due mainly to the weather conditions with few birds moving. No large thrush movement noted but Redwing struggled through in very small groups as 21 parties were seen containing only 101 birds. A good count of BH Gull pushed south.

Moving Birds:
Black Headed Gull > 103 S/S/W
Canada Goose > 4 W
Wood Pigeon > 23 S + 79 N = 102
Meadow Pipit > 1S
Alba Wagtail > 9 S/W + 4 N = 13
Starling > 9 W/S/W
Mistle Thrush > 4 N/W
Redwing > 101 W/S/W
Fieldfare > 17 W/S/W
Carrion Crow > 2 S/S/W
Chaffinch > 1 S/W + 4 N/W= 5
Greenfinch > 57 W/S/W

Martyn Priestley

An industrial view.... looking towards Wyke (c) MP 2008

Oxenhope 21-10-2008

CuNim on Approach at Sunrise!.... looking NW (c) 2008

CuNim overhead..... Hail and Sleet! (c) 2008

Oxenhope, Bradford, W Yorkshire.
0750 - 0945hr DB/HC
W F5 gusting F7, 5degC falling 4, Hail, sleet and rain showers, 20km, 5/8 CuNim, QNH 1002 rising quickly 1005.

An unsuitable morning both for the vis and for us trying to watch it! Many heavy hail, sleet and rain squalls frequently with us and only shelter behind the wall allowed us to carry on, although what for, I dont know! As expected hardly any birds on the move and as Nick says "what a difference a couple of days make"!

Moving birds in order of appearance;

Wood Pigeon 18 > E
Chaffinch 8 > S
Goldfinch 8 > S
Starling 12 > W
Peregrine 1 > SW
Meadow Pipit 1 > SW
Skylark 5 > W

Dave

Many squalls passing (c) 2008