Oxenhope.... the season deepens! 16-10-2009

Pre Sunrise... looking east (c) 2009


Pre sunrise... looking north (c) 2009


Sky opening from the North... looking NW (c) 2009


Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Friday 16 October 2009
Counting period: 7:00-11:00
Weather: N F2, 9degC falling with skies clearing from N, 65 reducing 30km, 8/8 stratocumulus reducing 3/8 cu sp, QNH 1034 rising
Observers: Dave Barker


Moving Birds:

Cormorant 1 -
Swallow 2 -
Carrion Crow 53 -
Mallard 2 -
Meadow Pipit 82 -
Starling - 699
Goosander 16 -
Grey Wagtail 1 -
Chaffinch 18 -
Sparrowhawk 1 -
alba wagtail sp. 7 -
Brambling 1 -
Merlin 1 -
Ring Ouzel - 2
Greenfinch 6 -
Golden Plover 35 -
Blackbird 2 -
Goldfinch 10 -
Common Snipe 2 -
Fieldfare - 222
Siskin - 26
Black-headed Gull 355 -
Song Thrush 8 -
Linnet 4 -
Common Gull 15 -
Redwing - 1296
Lesser Redpoll 12 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 8 -
Mistle Thrush 8 -
Bullfinch 5 -
Woodpigeon 106 -
Jackdaw 15 -
Reed Bunting 1 -

Totals: 3022 individuals, 33 species, 4:00 hours

Present: Blackbird 14, Chiffchaff 1

Comments: A chill morning with reducing temperatures after the skies opened from the north. Birds were moving well with thrushes all moving direct north into the wind. Several Song Thrush calls from birds going west befre sunrise and good numbers of Blackbirds in the wood were different. Still mainly Redwing (26 flocks, largest 150) but with increasing numbers and flock size of Fieldfare (in addition to mixtures 6 flocks, largest 65). Gulls also moving well and maximium count of Starlings to date, all as usual going NW. The first Bullfinches of the autumn went west in two groups (total 5) a sign of the deepening season here and a couple of Ring Ouzel on the broken walls eventually left north west.

Dave