Oxenhope... just too windy! 14-03-2010

Almost empty moors and marginal pastures...(c) 2010


Hill top Wheatear spoil... (c) 2010

W F5 becoming WNW F6 then moderating, 3degC, 40km, 7/8 becoming 4/8, QNH 1026 falling

0730 - 1200hr

A bitter cold spring morning with rising wind but clearing skies and visibility. Little in evidence in the sky but Curlews, Skylarks and Lapwings now well distributed. Grey Wagtails now on the brooks and Oystercatchers back on the more improved in-byes but to date a worrying lack of Redshanks here! Despite looking in all the regular places around the watchpoint... not a Wheatear to be seen.... but on the way home whilst driving through the new Trough "clearway" a brilliant male was seen from the car on one of the broken walls. I would have stopped but the implications of stopping on a "clearway" did not appeal! The Meadow Pipit arrival on the moors is still awaited. A few albas were noted. A Buzzard, the bird of the day... was seen moving high NNW at the end of the morning.

Moving Birds:
Meadow Pipit 1 > S
BH Gull 31 > N
Common Gull 9 > N
Chaffinch 2 > w
Curlew 2 > NW
Golden Plover 1 W

Dave