Stainburn Moor, Harrogate... 21-09-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Counting period: 7:10-11:35
Weather: Hazy - trying to be foggy first thing but failing- thank goodnese. 2/8 cloud, 6/8 later. Wind 0 at forst F1 sse later. Mild.
Observers: A Hanby

Moving birds:
Sparrowhawk 3 -
Tree Pipit 2 -
Raven 2 -
Golden Plover 227 -
Meadow Pipit 981 -
Tree Sparrow 3 -
Lapwing 67 -
Grey Wagtail 2 -
Chaffinch 78 -
Common Snipe 7 -
alba wagtail sp. 24 -
finch sp. 23 -
Black-headed Gull 4 -
Dunnock 3 -
Greenfinch 12 -
Common Gull 17 -
Mistle Thrush 4 -
Goldfinch 57 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2
Chiffchaff 3 -
Siskin 3 -
Collared Dove 1 -
Goldcrest 17 -
Linnet 92 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 -
Coal Tit 29 -
redpoll sp. 3 -
Skylark 53 -
Blue Tit 27 -
Yellowhammer 1 -
Sand Martin 1 -
Great Tit 33 -
Reed Bunting 1 -
Swallow 959 -
Tree Creeper 1 -
House Martin 88 -
Magpie 9 -

Totals: 2840 individuals, 37 species, 4:25 hours

Present: Red Kite 11, Common Buzzard 22, Kestrel 4, Golden Plover 25, Curlew 1, Stock Dove 8, Woodpigeon 25, alba wagtail sp. 2, Whinchat 1, Wheatear 1, Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1, Starling 700

Comments: A very interesting and busy morning; local rarities but no regional grippers, but a lot of interesting goings on. Of particular interest were movements down the hedge West. By far and away the biggest move of the autumn so far here. Two kettles of Buzzards 10 to South and 12 to the North probably represented moving birds but went up so high and took so long I couldn't work out which way they went inthe ned so put as 'around'. Swallows stormed through ( 959) mainly after 10 then stopped by 11 15- I didn't cotton on to them at first and probably missed a load as a lot were very high up. House Martins on 88 were probably even more under counted as they were relatively high even compared to the Swallows. Two tree Pipits, both invisible buzzed over in the general mayhem and its fair to say I did my forst 'Wrynecking. of the autumn, spinning n the spot like a drunken ballerina at times! Meadow Pipits were 'middle of the road' on 981- but at their peak visibility was quite poor so many others would have passed ( stating the obvious I know!). Only 3 Dunnocks were detected moving but first thing the hedge was alive with their calls, but sadly most cleared of undetected/counted. As indicted the hedge was stunning today with 29 Coal Tits, 27 Blue tits and 33 Great tits heading west down the course of the morning. Some of the coal tits flew along the line of the hedge rather than landing on it at any point. Added to this were 17 Goldcrest!, three Chiff and- the cherry, a Treecreeper zipping past the gap. Two Ravens gave a noisy flypast west early on; the first of the autumn as was the single Yellowhammer. All in all a cracking good morning- but the best is still to come im sure.

Andy