Oxenhope.... twinkling!! 07-10-2010

Sunrise.... (c) Howard Creber 2010


Pinkies.... NW.... (c) Howard Creber 2010


Pinkies.... NW... (c) Howard Creber 2010

The BIG Moor!.... (c) Howard Creber 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 7 October 2010
Counting period: 7:00-12:30
Weather: W F1 increasing SSE F2, 6degC, 50km, 1/8, sunny conditions with clear blue skies overhead, tho` milky skies out to 50 Km. Smog over Bradford & Leeds. Cold early but temp rose considerably over the watch period. QNH 1017 rising
Observers: Howard Creber, Gordon Holmes

Moving birds:
Cormorant - 1
Swallow 7 -
Starling 34 -
Pink-footed Goose - 74
House Martin 1 -
Chaffinch 61 -
Golden Plover 19 -
Meadow Pipit 1582 -
Greenfinch 30 -
Lapwing 41 -
alba wagtail sp. 34 -
Goldfinch 44 -
Common Snipe 2 -
Redwing - 9
Linnet 15 -
Woodpigeon 56 -
Mistle Thrush - 9
Reed Bunting 10 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 -
Jackdaw - 190
Red Admiral 11 -
Skylark 3 -
Raven 2 -

Totals: 2237 individuals, 23 species, 5:30 hours

Comments: Open sky overnight with QNH rising throughout. some inversion mist by dawn. Wind light SSW til dawn, then variable and gradually becoming SSE and picking up. An excellent vis day with beautiful springlike weather once again. Lots of Mipits on the move with the bulk today coming up out of the valley to the north and moving south. Many were low over the in-bye which would normally mean they may go undetected, however today`s early morning sun was just at the right angle to give them away, their wings twinkling away like little diamonds - largest flock sizes 80 & 60. Alba`s were strong throughout the watch and Chaffinches, interestingly, were predominantly moving in singles. A Great Spotted Woodpecker came into the plantation at 0845 from way out SE and a second one came in on the same track at 1100.There was a noticeable and earnest move of Jackdaws high to the NW (190 in 10 flocks - biggest group 71). Only two groups of Redwing NW over moor (2 & 7). To cap things off, a single skein of 74 Pinks were picked up over south Bradford and steadily came over us 10 minutes later on a NW track. All in all, a very interesting morning..... Mipits - 1582 S... Chaffinch - 61 S... Alba Wag sp - 34 SW... Starling - 34 NW... Greenfinch - 30 S... Goldfinch - 44 S..... Linnets - 15 SW... Swallow - 7 S... House Martin - 1 S... Skylark - 3 SW... Reed Bunting - 10 SW.... GS Woodpecker - 2 W... Wood pigs - 56 SW... Jackdaw - 190 NW... Redwing - 9 NW... Mistle Thrush - 9 NW... Cormorant - 1 high NW... Pink footed goose - 74 NW... Snipe - 2 W... Golden Plover - 19 S... Lapwings - 41 high W... Raven - 2 circling... 1 Small Copper... 11 Red Admiral...

Howard and Gordon

...............................

Paul Clough, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 7 October 2010
Counting period: 6:50-9:00
Weather:
Observers: Brian Vickers

Moving birds:
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Blue Tit 10 -
Swallow 1 -
Chaffinch 151 -
Meadow Pipit 180 -
Greenfinch 26 -
flava wagtail sp. 1 -
Bullfinch 3 -
alba wagtail sp. 3 -
Reed Bunting 2 -
Coal Tit 42 -

Totals: 420 individuals, 11 species, 2:10 hours

Comments: Meadow Pipits moving from first light,then a good passage of finches,but still no sign of any thrushes, but the little "miners" still drilling through ( 42 today ). Just a single Swallow, then I had good views of a Flava Wagtail going through.

Brian


Paul Clough.... (c) Brian Vickers 2010