Pre Sunrise... looking east to clear interface between opaque stratus and stratocumulus (c) 2009
Cormorants going South overhead (c) 2009
0630 – 1115hr Dave Barker, Howard Creber, David Parker
Calm initially becoming E F1 by 0913 rising E F2, 11degc at 0600hr, 65km, 8/8 becoming 2/8, QNH 1039 rising.
No open sky until mid morning here with the early part of the morning fully overdrawn. Initially the far eastern sky was bright but opaque stratus wit stratocumulus overhead. The Goosander roost had further increased to 63 and during the morning two small very high groups overflying were indicative of continuing movement. Mipits however were still on the move albeit considerably less than yesterday and virtually all south today. Mistle thrushes moving in the sky to day with singles and a couple of small parties high up all generally south. At 0726 the unmistakable calls from a high unseen distant Fieldfare were unexpected but very welcome. However Pinkies, the first known local skeins of the autumn moved south in three skeins with 5 > S at 0737, 11 > S at 1039 and finally 31 > S at 1050 (DP) totalling 47. There may well have been continuing passage but unfortunately time was such that I had to leave but at least they are now here overhead in the vis counts now.
Moving birds in order of appearance:
Meadow Pipit 684 > S
Mistle Thrush 13 > generally S
Swallow 63 > San W
alba wagtail 5 >Sand W
Goldfinch 2 > W
Goosander 14 > W and S
Linnet 11 > W
Starling 1 > NW
Greenfinch 5 > W
Fieldfare 1 calls heard from high in sky
Pink footed Goose 47 > S
LBB Gull 43 >SW and NW
BH Gull 340 > S and SW
Lapwing 214 > NW
Grey Wagtail 5 > W
Woodpigeon 2 > W
Cormorant 2 > S
Chaffinch 25 > S
Snipe 10 > SW, NW and S
Siskin 7 > SW
Skylark 1 > W
House martin 21 > S
Raven 1 > W
Wheatear 2 > W
Others:
Stonechat 3…. First birds for some considerable time.
Version with day photographs will follow this evening.
Dave
