Oxenhope..."high pressure vis" 10-09-2009

Zero ok sky at Sunrise... !! (c) 2009


Heat Haze soon building up early doors but sky remaining open (c) 2009

0625 - 1115hr D Barker, H Creber, PJW Smith

W F1 initially becoming calm, 6 degC at 0530 rising 9 by 0630, 65km, 0/8, QNH 1037 rising.

Fantastic! A wonderful none doldrumic high pressure morning with birds moving in the sky at all levels throughout. A real joy to be out with a brilliant clear sky sunrise right out to the North Sea and beyond! Goosander roost increased dramatically to 41 with most leaving N at sunrise. Mipits continue to pour through here... initially most were moving west but as the first part of the morning developed the southward flow became pronounced with flocks of up to 35 going through. Chaffinch were definately going for it again today with birds moving both high and low and both west and south. Goldfinch in better numbers today... one massive c150 strong flock with most going of west was special. The first Skylarks of the autumn here passed through between west 0742 and 1016hr with the largest diffuse flock being three. The bird of the day however was picked up quite high approaching far out in the ENE at 0834hr and immediately id'd as a Great Spotted Woodpecker... it continued and overflew heading right out over the open moor and away high west. A real "high pressure" experience! and a Tree Pipit went over SW at 0800.

Moving Birds in order of appearance:

Meadow Pipit 876 > W and S
Grey Wagtail 10 > W
Goldfinch 211 > W and S
LBB Gull 13 > S and NW
Swallow 39 > S and W
BH Gull 133 > SW
Peregrine 1 > E
Skylark 10 > W
alba wagtail 8 > S and W
House Martin 11 > W
Reed Bunting 3 > W
Tree Pipit 1 > SW
Wheatear 2 > SW
Ringed Plover 1 > W at 0810
Willow Warbler 1 > W
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 > W
Linnet 86 > W
Wader sp unknown 1 > W

Dave