Oxenhope... contrail vis! 10-09-2009

A brilliant morning with open skies throughout allowing long distance views through to much overflying traffic marred only by heat haze and of course extreme distance. Here is just a sample of the aerovis in the sky and only when the real vis allowed our concentration to wander!

USAF McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender - Tanker and Transport Aircraft... on the move! (c) 2009

More local stuff now for a moment! Aer Arann - Ireland... going SW (c) 2009

Kalitta Air - USA... going NNW (c) 2009

Air New Zealand... going S.. a distant shot but included out of interest! (c) 2009

Martinair - Netherlands.... going E (c) 2009

Finnair... Finland... going North (c) 2009

Air India going NNW (c) 2009

Air Transat... Air Transat is the leading charter carrier in Canada(c) 2009

Dave and Howard

Oxenhope..."high pressure vis" 10-09-2009

Zero ok sky at Sunrise... !! (c) 2009


Heat Haze soon building up early doors but sky remaining open (c) 2009

0625 - 1115hr D Barker, H Creber, PJW Smith

W F1 initially becoming calm, 6 degC at 0530 rising 9 by 0630, 65km, 0/8, QNH 1037 rising.

Fantastic! A wonderful none doldrumic high pressure morning with birds moving in the sky at all levels throughout. A real joy to be out with a brilliant clear sky sunrise right out to the North Sea and beyond! Goosander roost increased dramatically to 41 with most leaving N at sunrise. Mipits continue to pour through here... initially most were moving west but as the first part of the morning developed the southward flow became pronounced with flocks of up to 35 going through. Chaffinch were definately going for it again today with birds moving both high and low and both west and south. Goldfinch in better numbers today... one massive c150 strong flock with most going of west was special. The first Skylarks of the autumn here passed through between west 0742 and 1016hr with the largest diffuse flock being three. The bird of the day however was picked up quite high approaching far out in the ENE at 0834hr and immediately id'd as a Great Spotted Woodpecker... it continued and overflew heading right out over the open moor and away high west. A real "high pressure" experience! and a Tree Pipit went over SW at 0800.

Moving Birds in order of appearance:

Meadow Pipit 876 > W and S
Grey Wagtail 10 > W
Goldfinch 211 > W and S
LBB Gull 13 > S and NW
Swallow 39 > S and W
BH Gull 133 > SW
Peregrine 1 > E
Skylark 10 > W
alba wagtail 8 > S and W
House Martin 11 > W
Reed Bunting 3 > W
Tree Pipit 1 > SW
Wheatear 2 > SW
Ringed Plover 1 > W at 0810
Willow Warbler 1 > W
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 > W
Linnet 86 > W
Wader sp unknown 1 > W

Dave

Paul Clough... 10-09-2009

Juv Swallow begging for food... Trough Lane today (c) Brian Vickers 2009

Paul Clough 0645 - 0840.

A good variety of birds in the Clough this morning with thrushes putting in a first appearance, again Chaffinches moving up throughout but in smaller numbers than yesterday.

Chaffinch 68, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird 2, Mistlethrush 7, Redpoll 6, Greenfinch 8, Bullfinch 6, Reed Bunting 4, Jay 2, Willow Warbler 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Gt Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1,

Trough Lane,

Swallows still feeding young on the wires at Trough Bottom.

Brian Vickers