Stainburn Moor, Harrogate... 17-10-2009

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Saturday 17 October 2009
Counting period: 7:15-11:30
Weather: 5 oktas wind NNW 1 Haze mild
Observers: A Hanby, J Blacker


Moving Birds:
Greylag Goose - 41
Swallow 1 -
Rook 57 -
Anser spec. 56 + 573
Meadow Pipit 35 -
Carrion Crow 10 -
Canada Goose - 2
alba wagtail sp. 9 -
Raven - 4
Honey Buzzard 1 -
Blackbird - 1
Starling - 2225
Sparrowhawk 5 -
Fieldfare 4 + 3338
Tree Sparrow 14 -
Merlin - 1
Song Thrush - 5
Chaffinch 18 -
Common Snipe 4 -
Redwing - 2520
Brambling 1 -
Black-headed Gull - 85
Mistle Thrush 2 -
Greenfinch 7 -
Common Gull - 45
Turdus spec. - 20
Goldfinch 5 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 3 -
Blue Tit 1 -
Siskin 1 -
Woodpigeon - 382
Jay 2 1
Linnet 5 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 + 1
Magpie 4 -
Lesser Redpoll 1 -
Skylark - 17
Jackdaw 435 -
Crossbill 1 -

Totals: 9945 individuals, 39 species, 4:15 hours

Present: Mallard 4, Red Kite 8, Common Buzzard 2, Kestrel 3, Golden Plover 550, Lapwing 300, Common Snipe 3, small gull spec. 4600, Dunnock 1, Mistle Thrush 3, Long-tailed Tit 1, Starling 1100, Chaffinch 4, Linnet 3

Comments: Initially done as increments but didn't work for some reason. The gulls 'about' were actually the large numbers flying North east Just after dawn from the Eccup reservoir roost. The geese possibly came from here, but as the morning wore on ( see later it was apparent that many were from further West. Most were, we suspect, Greylags, but some contenders for Pink feet were also seen but too distant. The other present counts refer to the whole watch combined. The corvids during this period almost certainly represent the exit from a nearby roost. This count is the whole watch as the incremental watches glitched and merged stuff rather erratically. The Honey Buzzard went ESE - was a juv and extremely close! Most of the Jackdaws were post roost but 55 later on inc a party of 25 high west over the Wharfe were probably true migrants- a shame we can't denote E and W on trek. The 4 Ravens were to together tumbling and playing as they headed slowly from the Wharfe NE over the ridge. The Tree Sparrows were in one noisy flock heading South.


Counting period: 15:00-16:00
Weather: 5 Oktas wind NNW 1 Haze cool
Observers: A Hanby,


Moving Birds:
Cormorant 1 -
Common Gull 38 -
Pink-footed Goose 200 -
Woodpigeon 2 -
Anser spec. 5 -

Totals: 246 individuals, 5 species, 1:00 hours

Present: Wigeon 17, Common Buzzard 1, Golden Plover 600, Lapwing 400

Comments: The anser spec refer to 5 all white geese in with the closest flock of pink feet; I presume albino pinks as same size. Pinkfeet were 50, 48, 27 in from NW and South and 75 in from NE and SW. The wigeon flew East and went down to N of me


Andy Hanby and John Blacker