Hunter Hill, Calderdale... 21-09-2010

Cold Edge, Halifax (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Counting period: 7:45-10:45
Weather: Watchpoint at Hunter Hill covered in hill fog clearing by 08:15 but surrounding hills still misty with good visibility all around by 09:15. 12c rising to 15c with wind SW F0 rising to F2/F3
Observers: David Sutcliffe

Moving birds:
Cormorant 4 -
Swallow 124 -
Chaffinch 14 2
Greylag Goose - 1
Meadow Pipit 621 -
Greenfinch 2 -
Black-headed Gull 8 -
alba wagtail sp. 4 -
Goldfinch 14 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 4 -
Mistle Thrush 1 + 3
Siskin 2 -
Woodpigeon 4 -
Rook 1 -
Linnet 15 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Raven 1 -
Lapland Bunting 1 -
Skylark 7 + 2
Starling 3 -

Totals: 839 individuals, 20 species, 3:00 hours

Present: Grey Heron 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Kestrel 3, Stock Dove 6, Little Owl 2, Green Woodpecker 2, Swallow 30, Great Tit 1, Jay 2, Magpie 6, Jackdaw 24, Carrion Crow 8

Comments: A wonderful morning after the mist had cleared from the watch point. A Lapland Bunting was the highlight which was heard calling from the west and fortunately for me came more or less directly overhead and headed >SE towards Swales Moor at 08:20. As the mist started to clear the migrants were coming over really high and were difficult to pick out. As the skies cleared they came through at a lower elevation with lots of Meadow Pipits the main movers as follows 1st hr - 121, 2nd hr 321, 3rd hr 179. Swallows (124) did not start coming through until the first one at 09:10. 4 Cormorants >W at 10:27 came from Soil Hill direction.

David Sutcliffe