Oxenhope.... sphawks south! 30-09-2010

Pre sunrise... (c) 2010


Pre sunrise, fractus invading... (c) 2010


First sun... before the fogs!... (c) 2010

Our window on the World.... everywhere else fogged!... (c) 2010

Cu congestus with pileus.... the thermals kick in (c) 2010

interesting accipiters... 4 images (c) 2010

Shelduck high NW..... caught just in time!! (c) 2010

USAF Globemaster C17.... (c) 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 30 September 2010
Counting period: 6:50-16:00
Weather: W F1 becoming S F2, 8degC, 100m - 50km, 1/8 becoming 4/8, QNH 1013 falling
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber

Moving birds:
passerine sp. 2 -
House Martin 4 -
Greenfinch 7 -
Shelduck - 3
Meadow Pipit 544 -
Siskin 12 -
Sparrowhawk 9 -
alba wagtail sp. 25 -
Linnet 16 -
Ringed Plover 1 -
Song Thrush 1 -
Lesser Redpoll 1 -
Common Snipe 2 -
Redwing 2 -
Lapland Bunting 1 -
Black-headed Gull 30 -
Mistle Thrush 7 -
bunting sp. 1 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 54 -
Starling 79 -
Red Admiral 10 -
Skylark 16 -
Chaffinch 16 -
Swallow 375 -
Brambling 1 -

Totals: 1219 individuals, 25 species, 9:10 hours

Comments: Open sky overnight and until 0730hr the two hours of fog before clearing. QNH falling throughout and wind W becoming S. Mipits poor initially but a good few would have been missed in the fog however the move kept on S right through the afternoon after a quiet spell over lunch. Swallows once started mid morning again kept on right through the afternoon. The now expected Lap Bunt passage continued with another single overhead during a gap in the foggy period at 0900. The first continental Starlings of the year came through NW, 11 parties in total spread throughout the day. Albas were weaker than expected. A Brambling came out of the fog and perched for a moment on the fence right next to us. Sparrowhawks were on the go immediately the thermals kicked in with several through south in quick succession... these included some very stocky individuals! Just two Redwing contacts from the fogs early doors were dissapointing. Three Shelduck picked up right at the last minute very high in the sky at 1135 going NW were good! All in all an interesting varied day but without the numbers expected.

Dave and Howard

PAUL CLOUGH 30-09-2010

0700 - 0930,
Another morning with reduced visibility, any birds in the Clough kept in deep cover by two Sparrowhawks. Star birds were two Ring Ouzels, a female below the watch point at 0730 feeding in a Rowan, then a cracking male in a hawthorn bush at the bottom of the clough at 0900.
Ring Ouzel 2, Goldcrest 2, Chaffinch 30+, Reed Bunting 1, Coaltit 6, Bluetit 4, Robin 1, Sparrowhawk 2, Kestrel 1, Swallows 8. Mpipts 12.

Brian Vickers.