Oxenhope... Redwings swing NNW 11-10-2009

Pre Sunrise today (c) 2009


Sun vanishing for the rest of the morning! (c) 2009

Deep cloud and unforecast rain coming out of Lancashire (c) 2009


Stainburn Moor this afternoon from our watchpoint... looking ENE over Airedale over Glovershaw col to Reva Hill and then across Wharfedale to Stainburn Moor with the North York Moors on the far horizon! (c) 2009

Double click the photo to make it bigger!

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Sunday 11 October 2009
Counting period: 7:00-10:45
Weather: W F3 rising W F5, 11degC, 65 reducing 2km, 7/8 open to E becoming 8/8, Recent rain becoming dry for a spell then very wetting drizzle, QNH1011 falling
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Chris King.

Moving Birds:

Goosander 2 -
alba wagtail sp. 5 -
Chaffinch 4 -
Black-headed Gull 48 -
Fieldfare 3 -
finch sp. 2 -
Common Gull 6 -
Redwing - 652
Greenfinch 7 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 11 -
Mistle Thrush 3 -
Goldfinch 4 -
Kittiwake - 1
Magpie 1 -
Siskin 10 -
Woodpigeon 26 -
Carrion Crow 3 -
Meadow Pipit 58 -
Starling 95 -

Totals: 941 individuals, 19 species, 3:45 hours

Comments: A deteriorating morning in most respects. Redwings still on the move with initially movement in all directions but soon settling down to primary NNW throughout the morning. Unlike yesterday movement, less intense initially continued right through the morning during our visit. 31 flocks passed, the largest of which was c60, with four flocks being counted as zero because they were unseen. For finches up here the wind was too strong... thus very few. Interesting was a Magpie going south but only a small continuing Snipe movement... as alway, west. The star bird, picked up coming in from the north below us as we were sat sheltering behind the wall in the rain was a Kittiwake quite possibly downed by the rain and very low cloud. It came in over the water before going straight off NE... the first for some while up here!


Counting period: 15:00-17:00
Weather: W F5 gusting W F7, 12degC, 65km, 2/8, QNH 1011 falling then rising strongly 1014
Observers: Dave Barker


Moving Birds:

Common Snipe 5 -
Greenfinch 1 -

Totals: 6 individuals, 2 species, 2:00 hours


Comments: .......Afternoon visit. A dead loss today with virtially no moving birds in the sky across the tops. The wind was too strong... it blew my scope over twice! Just a few Snipe in singles and twos still gong west and a single Greenfinch also west. No Starlings this afternoon. Gulls were not counted as the only ones seen were coming into the roost.

Dave