Oxenhope.... deep blue and empty! 30-08-2010

First Sun Today.... (c) 2010


Deep blue and empty... looking north.... (c) 2010


Deep blue and empty... looking south... (c) 2010


The best of the Holistic Sky "spots"... Air India... US bound!... (c) 2010


Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Monday 30 August 2010
Counting period: 6:12-11:12
Weather (first period): WNW F2, 6degC, 65km, 0/8, QNH 1023 rising
Observers (first period): Dave Barker

Moving birds:
Cormorant 2 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 116 -
Meadow Pipit 64 -
Goosander 3 -
Stock Dove 2 -
Grey Wagtail 2 -
Sparrowhawk 2 -
Sand Martin 10 -
Wheatear 1 -
Curlew 2 -
Swallow 179 -
Mistle Thrush 3 -
Greenshank 1 -
House Martin 30 -
Black-headed Gull 9 -
Tree Pipit 4 -

Totals: 430 individuals, 16 species, 5:00 hours

Present: Goosander 31, Black-headed Gull 8, Lesser Black-backed Gull 89, Meadow Pipit 400, Willow Warbler 1, Goldfinch 28

Comments: Period One....Open sky throughout the night with wind light from a northerly quarter and QNH rising throughout. A brilliant but colourless sunrise in a deep blue open sky with virtually no birds in it. Mipits, many were milling around and congregating with the few that were moving first light going west, a couple of Cormorants went very high west. A Greenshank, an overnight arrival got up along with the Goosanders (roost still 31) but went SW, the Mistle Thrushes west west and Tree Pip SW. The LBB G's were both moving NW and S. By the end of this period all of the congregating mipits a big increase on the last couple of days but with no real movemewnt had filtered off west. I expected more night migrants but only a single Wheatear which moved swiftly SW with no calls from the wood.; Period Two....Virtually nothing.; Period Three....A few Swallows started to come through west, House Martins south, Tree Pip SW, Goosander NW, Sphawks SE and SW. The largest flock of Goldfinch to date came in from the SE. A Willow Warbler started calling from the wood.; Period Four....Very little change except in the wind and that the sky clouded over gradually.; Period Five.... More of the same with Sand Martin added to the list but Swallows and House Martins picking up especially after 1050hr and going south.

Dave