Caldene Fields... mipits! 23-09-2009

Caldene Fields Watchpoint South Bradford

23rd of September 09 Watch 06.30 –08.30

Weather: A dry start with a temp of 10c and 80% cloud cover. A W/S/W wind to F1/3. At 07.00 thicker cloud came in from the S/W bringing a period of drizzle. This lasted till around 07.30 then cloud cleared from the N/W giving clear skies in that sector with 100% cloud cover in the rest of the sky. These conditions remained till the end of the watch. Visibility was excellent around 06.45 then reduced to around 8 miles till 08.30.

Comments: At first light I had a Daubenton bat keeping me company an uncommon visitor here. Vismig wise it was the window to the N/W which allowed me to observe a good movement of Mipits moving S as well as a slight Westerly movement which was also noted. The Mipits moving S were flying high and if the window had been open from say 07.00 more birds would have been counted. The first Song Thrush came through today and a single party of 17 Alba Wagtail seen when the window was open was a good count.

Black Headed Gull >31 S
Wood Pigeon > 10 E
Meadow Pipit > 41 W + 132 S = 173
Alba Wagtail > 27 S + 3 W = 30
Starling > 9 S
Swallow > 5 N/ W
House Martin > 4 W + 2 S = 6
Mistle Thrush > 5 N
Song Thrush > 1 W
Carrion Crow > 6 S/ S/E
Jackdaw > 2 S
Greenfinch > 52 W/S/W
Goldfinch > 22 W/N/W

Martyn