Stainburn Moor, Harrogate... small peaks of excitement set in a plane of boredom! 07-11-2009

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Saturday 7 November 2009
Counting period: 6:55-11:00
Weather: cold. WSW 2 4 oktas; cloudier to W, clear to E. Visibility 15 miles
Observers: Andrew Hanby and John Blacker

Moving Birds:
Cormorant 7 -
Common Gull 72 -
Redwing 11 -
Grey Heron 1 -
Herring Gull 4 -
Raven - 2
Whooper Swan - 7
Great Black-backed Gull 1 -
Starling 217 -
Greylag Goose 27 -
Stock Dove 13 -
Chaffinch 9 -
Anser sp. 6 + 6
Woodpigeon 735 -
finch sp. 19 -
Common Buzzard 2 -
Collared Dove 2 -
Goldfinch 7 -
Golden Plover 150 -
Skylark 19 -
Lesser Redpoll 1 -
Lapwing 890 -
Grey Wagtail 1 -
Black-headed Gull 2 -
Fieldfare 142 + 15

Totals: 2368 individuals, 25 species, 4:05 hours

Present: Mallard 14, Red Kite 7, Kestrel 1, Golden Plover 40, Lapwing 250, Common Snipe 5, Blackbird 2, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 1, Magpie 1, Jackdaw 250, Rook 45, Carrion Crow 15, Starling 8000

Comments: A slow day but not without interest. The plover movement started late and involved birds moving high WSW, some very high. As usual many small gulls north off the Eccup roost first thing- up to 5,000- not included in moving totals. The Ravens flew in from the distant East over Harrogate and Continued North West out of sight.

Andy and John

Caldene Fields, Low Moor... quiet 40 mins! 07-11-2009

I mananged a watch from my garden which over looks the fields this morning between 07.00 - 07.40.

There was no hint of any big movement in that time here... in fact 4 Wood pigeon S ( given a 2c temp and good vis ) was poor. A few finches did move but in general a quite 40 minute fix!!

Martyn Priestley

Oxenhope... drawdown time? 07-11-2009

After the sleet! (c) 2009


Open to the North (c) 2009


Very much Shut to the South (c) 2009



Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Saturday 7 November 2009
Counting period: 7:15-9:30
Weather: W F2/F3, 3degC, 65km reducing 30, 4/8 fog stratus to S open to N, rain initially followed by some sleet and hail, QNH 989 falling then rising 991
Observers: Dave Barker

Moving Birds:
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1
Fieldfare 350 -
small gull spec. - 276
Starling - 396
Stock Dove 1 -
Goldfinch 2 -
Woodpigeon 49 -
Reed Bunting 3 -
Meadow Pipit 2 -

Totals: 1080 individuals, 9 species, 2:15 hours

Comments: Not a good day with a weather related very poor start. Nothing in the high sky today. A single very large flock of c350 Fieldfares ambled south close in and Starlings, more than the past few days continued to gently surge but only in small squadrons. Woodpigeons, most, probably invisible today moved through in very small flocks. Otherwise draw down time up here in the hills... but what will tomorrow and Monday bring?... thats assuming its not just fog!!

Dave