Stainburn Moor, Harrogate... 23-01-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Thursday 23 September 2010
Counting period: 6:56-12:04
Weather: SW 1-2 8/8 -4/8 cloud. Heavy showers; mild despite the forecast which suggested otherwise ( 19c at end of watch)..
Observers: A Hanby

Moving birds:
Cormorant - 3
Skylark 29 -
Blue Tit 2 -
Greylag Goose 60 -
Sand Martin 1 -
Great Tit 3 -
Honey Buzzard 1 -
Swallow 137 -
Jay 1 -
Sparrowhawk 3 -
Meadow Pipit 672 -
Magpie 2 -
Common Buzzard 3 -
Grey Wagtail 1 -
Chaffinch 75 -
buzzard sp. 1 -
alba wagtail sp. 28 -
finch sp. 15 -
Lapwing 172 -
Dunnock 13 -
Greenfinch 10 -
Common Snipe 12 -
Song Thrush 1 -
Goldfinch 39 -
Common Gull 4 -
Mistle Thrush 34 -
Siskin 6 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 -
Turdus sp. 6 -
Linnet 55 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 -
Coal Tit 4 + 15
Yellowhammer 1 -

Totals: 1411 individuals, 33 species, 5:08 hours

Present: Greylag Goose 1300, Mallard 15, Common Buzzard 8, Kestrel 3, Curlew 1, Stock Dove 8, Woodpigeon 40, Jackdaw 25, Rook 15, Starling 400

Comments: Another day when Lapland Bunting eluded the watch point which is surprising as Ive seen them here int he poast- hey ho. As indicated in my weather notes I expected a dismal day weather wise, but, in fact appart from two heavy showers all was fine and a reasonable number of birds went by including 1, possibly 2 Honey Buzzard ( see below). The most spectacular event was c1300 Greylag Geese which went South over the route of the A61 and then appeared to land in Harewood; suffice to say I put these down as 'about', though some others kept going south. At 11.10 a probable Honey Buzzard flew through SW into the Wharfe and at 11.40 parallel to the route of this a definite went through and would have gone over the Ridge at Cookridge a bit to the east of the radio mast. Neither bird did any soaring and were engaged in active flight the whole time ( including some glides). Lapwing were also moving ( see also afternoon watch) with a total of 246 through south during the day ( overlooked until first edit!) Meadow Pipits (672) plodded on most of the morning with a relative shift of movement more to the East of me today. Dunnocks performed well with a flock of 9 and 4 through rising vertically out of the hedge in typical dithering flight before going into more direct migration mode. The 6 Tudus sp flew SW into the wharfe as one flock in a configuration that suggested Redwing, but I resisted the temptation to make the call as they were distant. Coal tits were again on the move with 4 South down the hedge and an amazing single flock of 15 that came along the hedge and then bucked the trend by rising up high and heading due North.

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Counting period: 14:00-15:00
Weather: SW0-1 wind, warm with thundery showers.
Observers: A Hanby


Moving birds:
Lapwing 74 -
Great Tit 2 -
Swallow 12 -
Goldfinch 6 -
Meadow Pipit 3 -
Linnet 5 -
alba wagtail sp. 8 -

Totals: 110 individuals, 7 species, 1:00 hours

Present: Golden Plover 7, Lapwing 57

Comments: An afternoon watch which showed further light passage; though 8 albas and 62 lapwings

Andy