Staainburn Moor, Harrogate... 26-09-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Sunday 26 September 2010
Counting period: 6:00-11:00
Weather: NNE 4-5; 5/8-8/8 cloud- 11C at and of watch wind chill high.
Observers: A Hanby, J Blacker

Moving birds:
Grey Heron - 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 9
Redwing 36 -
Pink-footed Goose 57 -
Collared Dove - 9
Mistle Thrush - 1
Canada Goose 15 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 -
Magpie 2 -
Peregrine - 1
Skylark - 6
Jackdaw 5 -
Lapwing 199 + 10
Swallow - 154
Tree Sparrow - 1
Common Snipe - 8
Meadow Pipit 193 -
Chaffinch 8 -
Black-headed Gull - 5
Grey Wagtail 1 -
finch sp. 27 -
Common Gull - 43
alba wagtail sp. 5 -
Goldfinch 7 -

Totals: 804 individuals, 24 species, 5:00 hours

Present: Common Buzzard 4, Kestrel 3, Golden Plover 250, Lapwing 200, Stock Dove 8, Woodpigeon 40, flava wagtail sp. 1, Dunnock 1, Coal Tit 4, Blue Tit 2, Great Tit 5, Starling 250, Greenfinch 1

Comments: Another lastingly cold watch with some minor highlights ( low altitude 'high'!). The Pink-footed geese when by in three flocks ( 6, 5, and circa 46) at 07.40, 07.55 and 10.30 respectively, all in an ESE direction, with the second two flocks potentially viewable also from Oxenhope. The trend of Canada W continues with a flock of 15 today. A female Peregrine headed purposefully NNW without stopping in the third hour. Most of the moving lapwing ( 199 S, 10 N) were in the third hour of the watch and mostly in one flock ( 170) which headed South over the Wharfe. There was a distinct movement of Collared Doves in various permutations of North; this represents our biggest movement of this species to date. Any attempts to claim Woodpigeon movements were regularly dispelled by similar numbers going in the contrary direction- hence a null return! Swallows showed a burst just after dawn and then dribbled away by the 4th quarter of the watch; the hour breakdowns were 79, 53, 12, 10- all permutations of N and most NE. A flava on the road was a surprise first thing. It flew into the adjacent field but AMH was unable to see it on the deck to confirm it as a yellow- which it looked most like. The redwing, 30 and 6 came in from a traditional NE direction in the third quarter of the watch. After those we expected more, but were disappointed. The flock of 4 Coal Tits U turned twice and failed to progress in the dismal conditions. Meadow pipits had a burst of activity in the first hour and then went through at a steady low rate. The hourly breakdowns ( not emotional I hasten to add- these were more frequent!) were, 87, 33, 35 and 38. The general direction was a highly unusual ESE

Andy and John