Caldene Fields... more mipits! 24-09-2009

Caldene Fields Watchpoint South Bradford

24th of September 09 Watch 06.30 –08.45
Weather: A dry start with 30% thin patchy high cloud to the N and a temp of 10c. A F1/2 W wind with visibility to around 10 miles. These conditions remained throughout the watch apart from around 07.30 when a batch of heavier dark cloud came in from the N and moved N/E leaving thin cloud and with clearer skies as it moved away.

Comments: My past records indicate good Mipits movements in late September and today lived up to expectations. The movement was on a broad front S/S/W with a minimum distance of about 8 miles stretching from Bierley and Birkinshaw to the East of my point and to the West over Low Moor and Shelf as well as directly over my head. The main concentration of birds flew over the pasture land of Bierley and Birkinshaw as opposed the more industrial areas of Low Moor and to some degree Shelf.

The Mipits in general flew higher over the pasture areas and lower over the industrial areas. My own view on this is that they know food is avaivable over the pastures whereas the industrial built up areas if they fly lower there is a better chance of spotting a small field etc to drop down and fed. The first single bird passed through at 06.52 quickly followed by a party of 51 then good movements noted till 08.00 then passage slowed down, then the highest count of 7 was noted at 08.10.

Black Headed Gull >24 S
LBB Gull > 9 W/S/ W
Wood Pigeon > 16 E
Stock Dove > 11 S
Starling >10 S
Meadow Pipit > 29 W + 443 S = 472 S/S/W
Alba Wagtail > 7 S + 3 W/S/W
Swallow > 1 E
Carrion Crow > 48 W
Greenfinch > 41 W/N/W
Goldfinch > 29 W/S/W

Martyn Priestley