Oxenhope... lost in the FOG! 15-10-2009

Thick Fog by Sunrise! (c) 2009


After 0945hr Fogs lifting.... note the now Golden tint to the moors! (c) 2009


Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 15 October 2009
Counting period: 7:00-11:00
Weather: NW F1 becoming N F2 then NE F2, 11degC, 10km before sunrise then 60m and finally 3km, 8/8 fog stratus, intermittent heavy drizzle, QNH 1032 rising.
Observers: Dave Barker


Moving Birds:
Pochard 24 -
Fieldfare - 20
Chaffinch 30 -
Lapwing 21 -
Song Thrush - 12
Brambling - 2
Black-headed Gull 19 -
Redwing - 322
Greenfinch 31 -
Meadow Pipit 18 -
Mistle Thrush - 4
Goldfinch 6 -
alba wagtail sp. 5 -
Carrion Crow 2 -
Siskin 9 -
Ring Ouzel - 1
Starling - 171

Totals: 697 individuals, 17 species, 4:00 hours

Comments: Initially a cloud shelf out over Airedale with base at just over head height allowed good visibility to the E and NE but before sunrise time deep fog stratus and drizzle rolled in off the moor. Prior to this Redwings were seen in flocks of up to 120 skimming the base and all going NW (six flocks in total). Song Thrushes were also on the move. After shut down, that was it until 0945 when the fog lifted from the NW, the then direction of the wind! During the foggy period many Red Grouse were hysterically laughing from the shrouded moor (at me for being so daft??), it was obvious that a party of Fieldfare were grounded and a Ring Ouzel was chaacking from the complex of broken dry stone walls on the moor. As the fogs lifted there was the expected rush of movement along its back but nothing unexpected was in it that I could see and visibility was poor anyway. The star birds came in the form of 24 Pochard (very rare at this site) coming in like spitfires out of the north east over the wall to circle befor e briefly dropping and then off to the west, leaving five on the water for a short while. After the fog cleared Starling squadrons NW could be seen powering low over the in-bye.

Moving Birds in order of appeareance with directions added: Redwing 322 > NW,, Song Thrush contacts in the fog 12, Fieldfare c20, Ring Ouzel 1, Siskin 9 > SW, Mistle Thrush 4 > NW, Chaffinch 30 > S and W, Brambling 2+ > W with Chaffinches, BH Gull 19 > S, Mipit 18 > W, C Crow 2 > S, Starling 171 > NW, Pochard 24 > W, Lapwing 21 > W, Alba wag 5 > W, Goldfinch 6 > W, Greenfinch 31 > W,


Dave