Oxenhope... the moors are ALIVE! 21-03-2010

Advance of the Fogs... 0720hr...(c) 2010

W F1 becoming WNW F3, 2degC, 19 reducing 0.6 increasing 25km, 1/8 increasing 8/8, QNH 1014 rising.

0645-1100hr

Ideallic conditions initially with open skies, brilliant low sun and inversion in the vallies. Snipe were chipping and Redshank were in evidence, both year firsts at this site for me. Together with the Curlews, Lapwings, Golden Plovers, cgeese, mipits and slarks...the moors and in-byes are once again ALIVE!! Despite the cold temperatures and frost, mipits were moving in the sky, all going north and without hesitation... the largest group seen was five. None were very high but it was hard work as none were close either. By 0715 it was obvious with the rising wind that we were going to loose visibility as the inversion mist was now drifting out of the basin towards the watchpoint. Sure enough envelopment came and lasted through to 0930hr after which the sky had closed and cold was biting!! A few mipits were still sneaking through in singles and threes but there was little relative interest during this later period. It was noteable that small gulls had evapourated.

Moving Birds:
Meadow Pipit 43 > N
alba wagtail 3 > N
Snipe 5 > N
Golden Plover 21 > NW
Starling c400 > E
Curlew 2 > W
Goldfinch 1 > W
Canada Goose 11 > W
Lapwing 1 > NW
Grey Wagtail 1 > NE
LBB Gull 5 > S

Dave