Oxenhope... at the cloudbase! 22-09-2009

Sunrise today through the driving drizzle! (c) 2009


At the Cloudbase... looking east (c) 2009


Late morning... cloudbase lifting... heavier rain (c) 2009

0650 - 1100hr Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Shaun Radcliffe, John Preshaw
SW F5/6, 12degC at 0630, 100 - 6000m, 8/8 fog stratus with horizontal driving drizzle, QNH 1017 falling

Out to the east initially it was a clear and sunny morning with a good sunrise.... shrouded here by horizontal driving drizzle off the moor. An awful morning to be out both on account of the weather and an almost complete absence of moving birds!! Behind the wall however it was quite dry allowing and extended stay with variable distance views, in the hope that things would improve... but they diddent! Often we were above the cloudbase of the fog stratus streaming off the moor but sometimes just below it. Just a few mipits were still going for it despite the strengthening wind and it was an education to see them struggle! Snipe were still going west and did not appear to struggle despite the conditions. Gulls as ever were happy in the winds but there were many fewer today.

Moving birds in order of appearance:

Meadow Pipit 85 > S with a few W
alba wagtail 2 > SW
LBB Gull 35 > S
Starling 2 > W
Swallow 8 > S
Snipe 14 > W biggest party 7
Cormorant 1 > S
Common Gull 2 > W
BH Gull 7 > S
Goldfinch 2 > W

Other:
Stonechat 1



Chairmen past and present.... and an "off comed vis freak"! (c) 2009

Dave