Bingley Gorge... House Martins and Siskin 24-09-2009

100+ House martin feeding over fields and wood west of Alter Lane up to Druids Alter. 100c Siskin feeding on eastern edge of Hollins plantation next to public footpath.

Trem

Rombalds Moor... 24-09-2009

Completed the full period today at Nab End. Arrived in position for 06.40.

Weather – broken, clear areas to the east and heavier cloud to the west. Between 9.00 and 9.15, cloud from the west spilled over and produced light drizzle for a few minutes. After a dry period, drizzle returned between 10.30 and 10.45 for only a few minutes again.

The wind remained from the west throughout, moderate to strong.

Period 1 – 06.40 to 06.55 MP 6

Period 2 - 0655 to 0755
MP 67, Chaffinch 2, Woodpigeon 1, Goldfinch 5.

Period 3 - 0755 to 0855
MP 114, Linnet 5

Period 4 - 0855 to 0955
MP 81, Skylark 2, BHG 1

Period 5 - 0955 to 1055
MP 64 plus hunting Sparrowhawk

The last 30 mins only produced 5 MP so things had finished by the time I left.

A Wheatear was present on site.

Shaun Radcliffe

Oxenhope... mipits fall back! 24-09-2009

Pre sunrise... looking east (c) 2009


Pre sunrise... looking north east (c) 2009

0650 - 1100hr Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Rod Procter, Martyn Hayes
W F2/F3, 10degC at 0630, 65km, 4/8 deep cloud and some rain to west - open sky and dry to east, QNH 1023 rising.

Right on the edge of the weather here with deep cloud and some rain to our west and clear open skies to the east. This scenario was in force throughout the morning which fortunately remained dry here. Meadow Pipits dominated again but not in increased numbers as thought possible. A good immediate pre and post sunrise rush of mipits all going very high south, followed by a bit of a lull upto c0825 when larger flocks started to pass. By 0940 things had started to quieten off with only background numbers on the move after this. Throughout the morning the vast majority of the mipits that passed were at varying distances to our east . Otherwise much less movement than yesterday with the best birds being a very high group of Siskins south west.

Moving birds in order of appearance:

Meadow Pipit 1076 > S
alba wagtail 8 > SW
Snipe 1 > W
Mistle Thrush 30 > W
Swallow 44 > S
Canada Goose 2 > E
BH Gull 22 > S
LBB Gull 20 > S
Linnet 16 > S
Skylark 3 > W
Sparrowhawk 1 > S
Magpie 1 > S
Siskin 14 > SW
Starling 3 > W
Greenfinch 3 > W

Dave

Cold Edge, Calderdale. This Week

It has not been ideal conditions for Vis-mig on Cold Edge this week but the birds have been moving, unfortunately I have been restricted to the first couple of hours, most of the birds are travelling SW or W.

24th W 3/4 Good Visibility 6.45 - 8.30

Diver spp 2 NE (travelling very fast, probably Red Throated Divers)
Meadow Pipit 108
Swallow 12
Pied Wagtail 2 S
Linnet 9
Canada Goose 2 E
Jackdaw 4
Skylark 9
Cormorant 1
Mistle Thrush 11
Chaffinch 4

23rd WSW 5 good visibility 6.45 - 8.20


Meadow Pipit 109
Pied Wagtail 2 S
Linnet 41
LBBG 3 NW


22nd SW 5/6 light rain, drifting mist, poor visibility, horrible.

Despite the poor conditions birds were still struggling through

Meadow Pipit 64
Goldfinch 4 plus feeding flock of 40+
Skylark 3

21st SW 4 clear good visibility 6.30 - 8.30

Meadow Pipt 148
Swallow 10
LBBG 12 NW

Martyn Hayes

Caldene Fields... more mipits! 24-09-2009

Caldene Fields Watchpoint South Bradford

24th of September 09 Watch 06.30 –08.45
Weather: A dry start with 30% thin patchy high cloud to the N and a temp of 10c. A F1/2 W wind with visibility to around 10 miles. These conditions remained throughout the watch apart from around 07.30 when a batch of heavier dark cloud came in from the N and moved N/E leaving thin cloud and with clearer skies as it moved away.

Comments: My past records indicate good Mipits movements in late September and today lived up to expectations. The movement was on a broad front S/S/W with a minimum distance of about 8 miles stretching from Bierley and Birkinshaw to the East of my point and to the West over Low Moor and Shelf as well as directly over my head. The main concentration of birds flew over the pasture land of Bierley and Birkinshaw as opposed the more industrial areas of Low Moor and to some degree Shelf.

The Mipits in general flew higher over the pasture areas and lower over the industrial areas. My own view on this is that they know food is avaivable over the pastures whereas the industrial built up areas if they fly lower there is a better chance of spotting a small field etc to drop down and fed. The first single bird passed through at 06.52 quickly followed by a party of 51 then good movements noted till 08.00 then passage slowed down, then the highest count of 7 was noted at 08.10.

Black Headed Gull >24 S
LBB Gull > 9 W/S/ W
Wood Pigeon > 16 E
Stock Dove > 11 S
Starling >10 S
Meadow Pipit > 29 W + 443 S = 472 S/S/W
Alba Wagtail > 7 S + 3 W/S/W
Swallow > 1 E
Carrion Crow > 48 W
Greenfinch > 41 W/N/W
Goldfinch > 29 W/S/W

Martyn Priestley