Oxenhope... "fog out" comes good! 27-09-2009

A Good Snipe passage West... one overhead... a montage! (c) 2009


Sunrise this morning... a rosy glow through the shallow fog stratus (c) 2009


Occasional Vertical Visibility! (c) 2009


Waiting...Waiting... Waiting! (c) 2009

The Light at the End of the Tunnel..... Magic about to happen (c) 2009

Fogs now passed through!... looking NW (c) 2009

Opening Sky... looking NW (c) 2009

Streets of Stratocumulus... looking NNE (c) 2009

Nab End, Rombalds Moor (Shauns watchpoint) as seen from Oxenhope this morning... with Simons Seat on the far Horizon (c) 2009

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Sunday 27 September 2009

Counting period: 6:45-12:00
Weather (first period): W F3, 11degC, 100m vis, 8/8 fog stratus, excellent vertical visibility initially, QNH 1026 rising
Observers Dave Barker, Howard Creber

Moving Birds:

Cormorant 2 -
Skylark 30 -
Carrion Crow 4 -
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Swallow 619 -
Chaffinch 52 -
Peregrine 1 -
Tree Pipit 1 -
Goldfinch 59 -
Lapwing 31+420
Meadow Pipit 1659 -
Siskin 20 -
Common Snipe 22 -
alba wagtail sp. 14 -
Linnet 37 -
Black-headed Gull 5 -
Wheatear 1 -
Reed Bunting 1 -
Common Gull 4 -
Mistle Thrush 29 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 109 -
Jay 4 -

Totals: 3125 individuals, 22 species, 5:15 hours

Comments: 0645-0700hr. Excellent visibility at home some 5km distant and lower down at 0625 degenerated into shallow fog stratus on the moor initially with good vertical visibility to open sky above. Meadow Pipits were heard moving both in the shallow fog and above it before sunrise (a diffuse pinkish patch through the fog) but few were seen. Thus all registrations of moving birds parties counted as "one". First Meadow Pipit before 0645. First alba 0651hr; 0700-0800hr In-vismig today! Visibility reducing further but Meadow Pipits still moving through the fogs in small numbers. Again all registrations of moving parties counted as "one" despite how many there sounded to be. No new species in this period.; 0800-0900hr. Much less bird movement heard in this period with only a few registrations. Again all registrations counted as "one" despite how many there sounded to be. First and Goldfinch at 0931.; 0900-0930hr. Some minor clearance of fog towards the end of this half hour period of fog during each of which surges of Meadow Pipits became immediately apparent. all movement was south. Other than the above all registrations were counted as "one". The first Mistle Thrush was at 0920 and the first chaffinch at 0926; 0930 - 1000hr. We have LIFT OFF......A phemomenal surge of Meadow Pipits and Swallows during and immediately upon clearance of fog from the NW with these species without doubt tracking along its back edge, held back behind it, or lifting off as it cleared. No time to book down "first" times now as the pressure was on with birds moving thick and fast. All Meadow Pipits and Swallows south, Mistle Thrush, BH Gull, Chaffinch, Snipe, Skylark, Peregrine, Linnet and Reed Bunting west and Lapwings south west.; 1000-1100hr. Continuing masses in the sky... difficult at times for even two observers to fully count. Movement directions as above with Siskins south west, LBB Gulls west and south west, Jays north west, Wheatear south west, Carrion Crows south.; 1100-1200hr. A change in the bird spectrum with Meadow Pipits slowing down, Swallows and Skylarks coming strong. Movement directions as above with Cormorant south, Linnets south west, House Martins going off south and Tree Pipit south west. Lapwings NW.


Dave