Stainburn Moor, Harrogate... mipit surge! 11-09-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Saturday 11 September 2010
Counting period: 6:05-11:35
Weather: rain becoming heavy in the first hour then intermittent, sometimes prolonged showers thereafter. Visibity ranging from 30 miles plus to 1 mile in showers. Cloud 8/8 at first down to 3/8. Mild. Wind SW2 rising to 3/4 later.
Observers: A Hanby, J Blacker


Moving birds:
Greylag Goose 24 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1
alba wagtail sp. 13 -
Canada Goose 12 -
Collared Dove 5 -
White Wagtail 1 -
Teal - 6
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 -
Chaffinch 19 -
Goosander 2 -
Skylark 51 -
finch sp. 12 -
Golden Plover 5 -
Sand Martin 2 -
Greenfinch 5 -
Lapwing 303 -
Swallow 684 -
Linnet 4 -
Common Snipe 2 -
House Martin 76 -
Reed Bunting 1 -
Black-headed Gull 183 -
Meadow Pipit 804 -
Common Gull 3 -
flava wagtail sp. 1 -

Totals: 2220 individuals, 25 species, 5:30 hours

Present: Sparrowhawk 1, Common Buzzard 1, Stock Dove 11, Woodpigeon 35, Meadow Pipit 35, Dunnock 1, Wheatear 1, Starling 500

Comments: The first hour was spent festering in the car then sprang out to an avalanche of mipits (804) with nearly 450 in the first hour, declining thereafter with mobs of Swallows also on the move (684) and a sizeable number of Lapwing. Also notable was a large Skylark movement ( 51) for the date. The albas included a pristine White in their number.

Andy and John