Oxenhope Sentry... transition sets in! 26-10-2009

Magpie South o'r the Moor (c) 2009


Sunrise today... a cold looking none event (c) 2009


Low fractus becomes widespread... HC over there in the thick of it at the Ark! (c) 2009


Light Drizzle coming through on hanging fractus (c) 2009

Queensbury... the land of Masts and Pylons!! (c) 2009

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Monday 26 October 2009
Counting period: 6:30-12:00
Weather: WNW F3 moderating CALM, 10degC, 100km+ Lincolnshire - reducing 5km at times, drizzle, 8/8 becoming stratus fractus / fog stratus, QNH 1011 rapid rise to 1017
Observers: Dave Barker

Moving Birds:
Cormorant 1 -
Woodpigeon 142 -
Starling - 151
Greylag Goose - 1
Skylark 5 -
Chaffinch 4 -
Golden Plover 2 -
Meadow Pipit 28 -
finch sp. 60 -
Lapwing 45 -
alba wagtail sp. 12 -
Greenfinch 6 -
Common Snipe 2 -
Fieldfare 165 -
Goldfinch 25 -
Black-headed Gull 197 -
Redwing 93 -
Lesser Redpoll 12 -
Common Gull 19 -
Mistle Thrush - 1
Reed Bunting 3 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 -
Jackdaw 31 -
Great Black-backed Gull 1 -
Rook 2 -
Magpie 1 -

Totals: 1011 individuals, 26 species, 5:30 hours

Present: Lapwing 400, Dunnock 1

Comments: The main feature was the wind moderating to CALM as transitional conditions set in, combined with rapidly rising pressure and associated formation of fog stratus, a combination the birds diddent seem to like today! Always reasonable visibility but nothing much in the sky! A Dunnock on the moor at first light was very unusual. Woodpigeons were going for it initially but all were way out to our east and as usual, even that would be on the very edge of the flow... only small flocks were seen but all were going c south. Starling migration NW currently having a rest with only four squadrons seen today... back into normal "low" mode with the opposing winds. Thrush flocks ambleing about were moving in all directions initially (ready for a top up) but later on there was some more determined movement higher and all west, BS at Queensbury also noted this which could possibly relate to fresh arrivals. Three Jackdaw parties went through NW and judging from HC's flock counts at the Ark some of these may well have gone out over Lancashire this way. The best bird of the morning was undoubtably a first winter GBB Gull, picked up coming NW very high over Soil. This kept on going in constant direction and was lost heading very high towards HC still at the Ark. All in all a mediocre day. Hoping this manky air clears up for the morrow and that the rain front holds back until lunch time!!

Dave Barker