Sunday, April 05, 2009

Oxenhope 05-04-2009

Pre sunrise 0615hr looking north (c)2009

















Sunrise over Chellow Heights (c) 2009

















Ring Ouzel.... two record shots directly into the sun of a distant bird... tremendous enhancment necessary to capture the gorget (c) 2009



















Mipit of the Day!... lots of these on the moor now (c) 2009

















Cirrostratus advancing from the West (c) 2009

















0615 - 1230hr (again coverage at both watchpoints) DB / HC / RHP

WF2 / SW F3, -1degC frost rising quickley, 65km, 1/8 increasing 8/8 cirrostartus, QNH 1023 steady.

Another wonderful morning to be out but passage was generally well down. The first bird, a mipit diddnt pass until 0724hr and then mipit passage was initially mainly in singles, all going north. Later in the morning scoping out into the far west a greater mipit passage than originally appreciated was detected very high over the distant moors..... the biggest group was five. At 0805hr what was obviously a single black thrush was detected very high on approach from the south in level flight. The bird was loosing height and after a while it was obvious that it was going to "ground" not too far away from us.... It did, but right into the brilliant sun, hence the abysmal photographs. Our initial thoughts that it was a Ring Ouzel were confirmed. The bird stayed on the high fence for about a minute calling loudly before up and off north again. Carrion Crows were moving well throughout the morning all movement was north, mainly in singles and twos but the biggest group was five. A very high Heron was picked up coming out of Lancashire and continuing high north east. Initially all LBB Gull passage, just a few birds was all to the NE, birds were picked up coming out of Lancashire, however as the morning progressed the more normal movement SE to NW picked up quickly and by lunch time many were passing on this track.

Moving birds in order of appearance:

Meadow Pipit 34 > N
Curlew 4 > N
LBB Gull 3 > NE, 91 > NW
Ring Ouzel 1 > N male
Carrion Crow 28 > N
Wheatear 2 > N
Grey Heron 1 > NE
Golden Plover 2 > N
Sparrowhawk 1F > N
Linnet 2 > N
Buzzard 1 > N
Stock Dove 1 > N

Dave, Howard and Rodney