Oxenhope... the silence of the moor! 31-08-2010

Wigeon sleeping.... arrived since late afternoon... (c) 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Counting period: 14:15-16:30
Weather: Fine and sunny with a light westerly breeze
Observers: Rod Procter, Elsie Procter

Moving birds:
Black-headed Gull 82 -
Herring Gull 2 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 69 -
Meadow Pipit 6 -

Totals: 159 individuals, 4 species, 2:15 hours

Counting period: 18:40-21:00
Weather: WNW F1 reducing CALM, 15degC, 65km+, 8/8 cirrostartus only - halo and two bright sundogs, QNH 1023 falling

Observers: Dave Barker

Moving birds:
Wigeon 10 -
Curlew 6 -
Golden Plover 5 -
Black-headed Gull 8 -
Common Snipe 10 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 180 -
Whimbrel 1 -
Meadow Pipit 21 -

Totals: 241 individuals, 8 species, 2:20 hours

Present: Goosander 26

Comments: Open sky overnight and throughout the day. High pressure well and truely set in but QNH falling since c1100. Light wind from a westerly quarter throughout. A fantastic night to be out in the silence of the "high moor" now deserted except for the Red Grouse with only the worry of the flies!...Tranquillity!!... two Wigeon were sleeping on the shore with the Goosander roost when I arrived. These must have come in since late afternoon.... shortly after sunset another ten dropped in out of the east and were quite noisy after coming down initially. A distant Whimbrel went high SW calling and a party of Curlew went west. As light thickened Snipe were heard overhead in the sky and a party of 7 west were located... another three went past a little later on. Meadow Pipits were weak tonight with only 21 west. The Goosander total was 26 but there was still time for more to arrive. This morning Brian Vickers had three Shelduck at 1100hr sleeping on the shore of the reservoir not far away... a product of the previous nights migration.

Dave