Oxenhope... fieldfare special! 05-11-2009

Velum over Airedale... (c) Howard Creber 2009


Rain front from the north west (c) Howard Creber 2009

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 5 November 2009
Counting period: 7:00-11:00
Weather: W F1, 2degC, frost, 65km throughout despite straocumulus overdraw, heavy drizzle after 1030hr,3/8 to 7/8, QNH 988 rising
Observers: Howard Creber

Moving Birds:
Pink-footed Goose 110 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 3
Starling - 152
Greylag Goose - 20
Woodpigeon 747 -
Chaffinch 8 -
Golden Plover 2 -
Meadow Pipit 3 -
Greenfinch - 6
Lapwing 17 -
alba wagtail sp. 5 -
Goldfinch 8 -
Black-headed Gull - 215
Fieldfare 1750 -
Reed Bunting 2 -
Common Gull - 18
Rook 2 -

Totals: 3068 individuals, 17 species, 4:00 hours

Present: Lapwing 200

Comments: Stratocumulus overdraw. Cumulonimbus and Cumulus Congestus over North Sea, Velum, Stratocumulus Stratiformis Opaqus late watch with Virga. A fine morning with excellent visibility out to East. Became overcast with heavy drizzle 10.30 hrs.... What a difference a day makes !. Calm and bright conditions gave excellent visibility to the East and in turn 27 flocks of Fieldfare and 33 flocks of Woodpigeon.Some Fieldfare flocks were stunning with up to 300 in a single group. All were moderately high, some very high and significantly traversed exactly the same flight path SW into Calderdale. I heard from DCB and BS that DJS over the hill (so to speak) near Cold Edge was also connecting. A single skein of 110 pinkies appeared over the Aire Valley and moved off very high over towards the Tinshill area of Leeds and beyond. Again, plenty of scanning for Whoopers, but still to no avail. A most enjoyable watch !.

Howard Creber

Hunter Hill, Calderdale... fieldfares push! 05-11-2009

Looking East... (c) DJ Sutcliffe 2009

Cold Edge, Halifax (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 5 November 2009
Counting period: 7:45-10:45
Weather: Bright skies and clear visibility first thing. Wind W F3 decreasing to F1. 5c increasing to 7c mist and light drizzle by 10:15
Observers: Dave Sutcliffe

Moving Birds:
Pink-footed Goose 110 -
large gull spec. - 1
Redwing 3 -
Greylag Goose - 11
Woodpigeon 21 -
Mistle Thrush - 6
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Skylark 2 -
Starling 246 -
Common Snipe - 1
Meadow Pipit 54 -
Chaffinch 13 -
Common Gull 24 -
alba wagtail sp. 1 -
Goldfinch 2 -
Herring Gull 2 + 1
Fieldfare 1972 -
Reed Bunting 1 -

Totals: 2472 individuals, 18 species, 3:00 hours

Present: Grey Heron 1, Pheasant 2, Black-headed Gull 110, Common Gull 35, Green Woodpecker 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Robin 1, Jay 1, Magpie 16, Jackdaw 46, Carrion Crow 13

Comments: A good movement of Fieldfares until shortly after 10 am when the mist and drizzle came in from the west - maximum flocks were 220,180,180,176 and 161. Pink-footed Geese came through at 09:05 but at a great distance original count I overestimated was getting on for 150 but HC at Oxenhope confirmed as 110 (thanks Howard)

Dave Sutcliffe

Caldene Fields, Low Moor... woodies dominate! 05-11-2009

Caldene Fields, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 5 November 2009
Counting period: 6:45-11:00
Weather: Dry with a F1/2 W/S/W wind and a drop in Temp to 3c with minor frost noted. 30% cloud to the W with always clearer brighter skies to the E/S/E and sunny periods after dawn.
Observers: Martyn Priestley


Moving Birds:
Grey Heron 1 -
Collared Dove 1 -
Starling 849 -
Pink-footed Goose 500 -
Meadow Pipit 3 -
Chaffinch 11 -
Mallard 3 -
alba wagtail sp. 7 -
finch sp. 12 -
Black-headed Gull 81 -
Fieldfare 783 -
Greenfinch 121 -
Common Gull 6 -
Redwing 121 -
Goldfinch 47 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 53 -
Mistle Thrush 1 + 1
Siskin 2 -
Stock Dove 1 -
Magpie 2 -
Lesser Redpoll 3 -
Woodpigeon 3384 -
Carrion Crow 12 -
Bullfinch 1 4

Totals: 6010 individuals, 24 species, 4:15 hours

Comments: Another excellent day here with Woodies powering through E of Caldene Fields over mainly over Bierley and Birkenshaw like yesterday. The first single came through at 6.59 then 30 parties till 07.45 then a lull and around 08.10 passage picked up again 42 parties were noted till around 10.15. What was interesting to note was the size of the parties only 4 over 100 and 38 smaller groups all ranging from within 40 to 70. Fieldfare move as yesterday but not in the same numbers, but did come at time with the Woodies. A movement of LBB Gull was noted and Magpies were moving in all directions but 2 S were long distance birds. Genuine moving Bullfinch were noted and a single to the S did look rather large and stocky to me.

Martyn Priestley