Oxenhope Sentry... whooper grounding! 24-10-2009

Three out of seven.... Whooper Swans grounded (c) 2009


Four out of seven... Whooper Swans grounded (c) 2009


Looking East after the rain.... clear sterile skies! (c) 2009

Looking north west after the rain.... clear sterile skies! (c) 2009

Rain front making off over Harrogate... leaving clear sterile skies! (c) 2009

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Saturday 24 October 2009
Counting period: 7:45-10:00
Weather: SSE F4/5, 10degC, 60 - 200m, 8/8 fog stratus down to ground level and driving drizzle, QNH 1004 falling 1002
Observers: Dave Barker


Moving Birds:
Black-headed Gull 2 -
Redwing 9 -
Meadow Pipit 3 -
Rook 3 -
alba wagtail sp. 1 -
Carrion Crow 2 -

Totals: 20 individuals, 6 species, 2:15 hours

Comments: Oxenhope Sentry: A terrible morning with sheets of driving drizzle blasting across the moor and more heavy rain forecast moving up from the south later on in the morning. Thus few birds seen as it was impossible to bin into the onslaught, thus the few records this time are by naked eye and may just relate to disorientation in the low vis! The most interesting thing was that Redwing flocks, probably quite small today were heard overhead on nine occasions... one bird recorded for each registration.


Counting period: 15:00-18:00
Weather: W F4, 16degC, 100km+, 3/8 cu sp, recent heavy rain just ceased, QNH 997 falling 996
Observers: Dave Barker

Totals: 0 individuals, 0 species, 3:00 hours

Comments: Exceedingly heavy rain for the late morning and early afternoon period, now clearing to the NE. Sterile, mainly open empty skies. The only birds seen moving were the gulls and goosanders coming in to roost. A communication from Brian Vickers, late morning advised of 7 Whooper Swans dropping from the low cloud and onto Lower Laithe at 1150hr in the height of the rain, obviously travelling SE and dropped by the conditions. These were still there at 1430hr and they were not seen to leave during my watch from the Sentry

Dave Barker, with thanks to BV and RHP