Oxenhope... mipits fall back! 24-09-2009

Pre sunrise... looking east (c) 2009


Pre sunrise... looking north east (c) 2009

0650 - 1100hr Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Rod Procter, Martyn Hayes
W F2/F3, 10degC at 0630, 65km, 4/8 deep cloud and some rain to west - open sky and dry to east, QNH 1023 rising.

Right on the edge of the weather here with deep cloud and some rain to our west and clear open skies to the east. This scenario was in force throughout the morning which fortunately remained dry here. Meadow Pipits dominated again but not in increased numbers as thought possible. A good immediate pre and post sunrise rush of mipits all going very high south, followed by a bit of a lull upto c0825 when larger flocks started to pass. By 0940 things had started to quieten off with only background numbers on the move after this. Throughout the morning the vast majority of the mipits that passed were at varying distances to our east . Otherwise much less movement than yesterday with the best birds being a very high group of Siskins south west.

Moving birds in order of appearance:

Meadow Pipit 1076 > S
alba wagtail 8 > SW
Snipe 1 > W
Mistle Thrush 30 > W
Swallow 44 > S
Canada Goose 2 > E
BH Gull 22 > S
LBB Gull 20 > S
Linnet 16 > S
Skylark 3 > W
Sparrowhawk 1 > S
Magpie 1 > S
Siskin 14 > SW
Starling 3 > W
Greenfinch 3 > W

Dave