Paul Clough... 12-10-2009

Paul Clough
Perfect morning for anything but bird watching, virtually no movement the highlight was my first sighting of Brambling this autumn.

Redwing 55, Chaffinch 24, Brambling 2, Bullfinch 10, Chiffchaff 1, Sparrowhawk 1.

Nab Water Lane,
Stonechat 4,

Fly Flatts Res,
Goldeneye 1,

Penistone Hill,
Stonechat 1.

Brian Vickers.

Oxenhope... jackdaws return! 12-10-2009

Pre sunrise... open sky but with deep cloud to the far east and over the North Sea (c) Howard Creber 2009


Open sky to the North (c) Howard Creber 2009


Open sky to the South (c) Howard Creber 2009


Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Monday 12 October 2009
Counting period: 7:00-10:30
Weather: NW F1, 4degc, 65km+, 0/8, QNH 1026 (13mb rise overnight) rising
Observers: Howard Creber


Moving Birds:

Grey Heron 1 -
Grey Wagtail 1 - Greenfinch 23 -
Common Snipe 6 -
alba wagtail sp. 7 -
Goldfinch 6 -
Black-headed Gull 15 -
Redwing - 110
Siskin 6 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2
Mistle Thrush 6 -
Lesser Redpoll 10 -
Woodpigeon 98 -
Jackdaw 78 -
Reed Bunting 1 -
Skylark 2 -
Starling - 118
Meadow Pipit 158 -
Chaffinch 54 -

Totals: 702 individuals, 19 species, 3:30 hours

Present: Redwing 84

Comments: A beautiful clear "big sky" morning, with the Bowland Fells and the Three Peaks in bold relief. Drax also visible but rather hazy. Large cloud bank over to the far east and over the North Sea.

Actual Directions:
Meadow Pipit - 158 W, Redwing - 110 NW (3 flocks largest being 71 birds) and 3 flocks blogging of 84 birds, Starling - 118 NW (9 groups, largest 65 birds), Wood Pigeon - 98 W, Snipe - 6 W, Alba Wag sp. - 7 S, Chaffinch - 54 S, Siskin - 6 W, Greenfinch - 23 S, Mistle Thrush - 6 NW, Jackdaw - 78 high NW (4 flocks, largest 31), Heron - 1 NW (watched for circa 20 minutes from high East to high West), Lesser Redpoll - 10 SW, Goldfinch - 6 S, Skylark - 2 W, Grey Wagtail - 1 W, Reed Bunting - 1 NW, B.H Gull - 15 NW, L.B.B. Gull - 2 N, Other birds present - Green Woodpecker, Wren, 12 Greylag Geese, Pheasant, Kestrel, Carrion Crow ,Lapwing.

Further COMMENTS - A most enjoyable morning, with a good variety of birds. Redwing movement was slight - several parties were merely blogging. A 65 strong Starling squadron came through low behind water keepers house and an obvious movement of Jackdaws were the main highlights of the morning.

Howard Creber

Caldene Fields, Low Moor... 12-10-2009

Caldene Fields South Bradford

12th of October 2009 Watch 07.00 –09.00
Weather: A dry start with a drop in temperature to 3c and a F1 W/N/W wind.
Clear skies with only 5% high cloud to the N giving excellent visibility to Royd
Moor wind farm at Penistone S Yorkshire.

Comments: Although today gave excellent viewing conditions there was no big
push of birds noted here and what was moving in general was to the E of Caldene
Fields. The drop in temperature inspired a few Woodies to move and an increase
in BH Gull numbers. The highlight though was a genuine passage Grey Heron which
was picked over the Dewsbury area and moved W passing over Low Moor and beyond a
distance over 10 miles.

Grey Heron > 1 W
Mallard > 2 W
Black Headed Gull > 71 S/S/W
LBB Gull > 2 W
Common gull > 4 S/W
Wood Pigeon > 174 S
Sparrow Hawk > 1 S
Meadow Pipit > 1S
Alba Wagtail > 3 S + 3 W =6
Starling > 43 S/W
Redwing > 371 S/W
Blackbird > 2 S/W
Carrion Crow > 8 S + 2 W = 10
Jackdaw > 4 S
Chaffinch > 4 S/W
Greenfinch > 72 W/S/W
Goldfinch > 8 W/S/W
Siskin > 1 S

Martyn Priestley