Stainburn Moor, Harrogate... full of flava! 24-04-2010

Whinchat and Wheatears moving through... (c) John Blacker 2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Saturday 24 April 2010
Counting period: 6:00-10:30
Weather: cools start ; wind 0 to F1 SSE 2/8 cloud. haze, visibility moderate to poor ( c5 miles max)
Observers: A Hanby, J Blacker

Moving Birds:
Cormorant 3+ 2
Swallow - 13
Jay 4 -
Grey Heron 1 -
House Martin 1 -
Carrion Crow - 1
Dunlin - 3
Meadow Pipit - 20
Starling - 2
Black-headed Gull - 3
flava wagtail sp. 3 -
Greenfinch - 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 6 -
Whinchat - 1
Goldfinch - 4
Skylark - 1
Wheatear - 5
Linnet - 5

Totals: 79 individuals, 18 species, 4:30 hours

Present: Sparrowhawk 1, Common Buzzard 1, Oystercatcher 2, Golden Plover 650, Lapwing 12, Curlew 8, Collared Dove 5, Skylark 10, Swallow 8, Meadow Pipit 4, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 4, Fieldfare 49, Jackdaw 6, Rook 90, Starling 1, Chaffinch 6, Linnet 8

Comments: Interesting though slow. Golden Plover seemed to build up throughout the morning with an estimated 650 at the end of the watch. Also notable were two batches of chats- two Wheatears and a Whinchat 0635 , which moved off W and then three Wheatears at 0910 which did likewise ( recorded as N on here). The Jay trickle continues with 4 S or SW during the morning (2, 1, 1). Three single flavas flew S, all singles and 2 very low. 49 Fieldfare remain in the area. A House Martin was also first for the year, though John has have several from Castley- a site not yet on trek.

Andy and John