The Joys of Visible Migration... Clive McKay

For those that havent seen it yet.... fresh out today... here is a link to Clives very excellent artical in the latest Birdguides Webzine.

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=1748

Read it once, read it twice and you still wont have had enough!!

Great Stuff Clive!

Dave

Oxenhope... mipits pick up! 18-09-2009

On site 06.10 hrs till 09.00 hrs. Very calm and murky conditions. Res was like a mill pond.

Initially, very little sign of vis-mig, then at 07.10 hrs mipits started to appear, much higher than usual - only calls gave me any chance of picking up the actual birds. Most mips went South, with others going West and a small minority going East. Largest flock was 30.

One Swallow flock of 26 birds South was picked up at extreme height whilst scanning the grey skies for mips.

Vis mig quietened off significantly at 08.15 hrs.

Birds seen in order of appearance :-

Vis mig

Meadow Pipits - 381 (all South except 35 West and 17 East)
Alba Wag - 14 West
Swallow - 28 South
Siskin - single bird South
Reed Bunting - single bird from NW to SE

Others

Goldfinch - 46 blogging
Chaffinch - 3 blogging
Mistle Thrush - 2 wood
Goosander - 45 on res early
Gull roost - circa 320

Cheers

Howard Creber

Harrop Edge... mip surge today! 18-09-2009

From Out of the Murk came Mipits!.... stratocumulus (c) 2009

0700 - 0800hr Dave Barker
NE F1 / Calm, 10degC at 0600hhr, 20km, 8/8 stratocumulus, QNH 1022 falling 1021.

The first pick up of mipits after mid September here today. Still hard work but the movement was direct and urgent and all was just east of south. All were coming in from over the valley at ridge top level from the north and overflying. Most were in small groups of up to 10 but the two largest groups were in excess of 60.... a sure sign of better things to come before too long!!! Other species also involved here today, see below. A further increase in the numbers of albas feeding up in the same field as the last few days again up to a staggering 65.... again a few looking interesting but little time to look!

Moving Birds:
Meadow Pipit 358 > S
Chaffinch 3 > S
Alba 1 > S

Starlings, Goosanders, BH Gulls and Goldfinches were also moving in the sky but not certain yet from this new watchpoint just what may be roost dispersal... suspect all of this movement was.

Dave