Oxenhope... even less movement! 21-09-2009

Fast Skies... lenticularis just after sunrise (c) 2009


Even faster skies... one hour on... lenticularis (c) 2009


Turbulance at cloudbase overhead (c) 2009

Looking east at time of departure (c) 2009

Tremendous skies on the advance of the front (c) 2009

Continuing turbulance overhead (c) 2009

0645 - 0935hr Dave Barker Howard Creber

SSW F4/5, 9degC at 0630, 100km++ 8/8 much dramatic variation in cloud type, QNH 1022 falling.

Everything against passerine movement today with advancing high pressure albeit falling, dry grass, low RH and strengthening winds. Again no real post sunrise mipit rush and today no later waves, infact nothing at all except for wonderfully dramatic skies and extended views with the water of the Humber Estuary again clearly visible but only when the sun was aligned (0753hr) and Grimsby located for the first time... after all these years!! As expected very few finches today and no Chaffinch at all. The best bird was the first migrating Grey Heron to pass here this autumn.... exceptionally high, way out over Bradford and flying direct south west. Virtually all had stopped by 0800hr.... so an "early bath" today... By 0815 fog stratus was powering over the high moor from the south west and in the strengthening wind it was decidedly chilly! Only the holistic approach to skywatching kept us going for so long!

Moving birds in order of appearance:

Meadow Pipit 119 > S and N

alba wagtail 9 > SW and W

Swallow 19 > S

Grey Heron 1 > SW

Snipe 1 > W

LBB Gull 56 > S

Goldfinch 12 > S

Grey Wagtail 2 > W

GRIMSBY!!!... The Humber Estuary... Grimsby Roads (c) 2009

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Last weeks photograph of the estuary enhanced (c) 2009

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Dave