Stainburn Moor, Harrogate.... 02-10-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Saturday 2 October 2010
Counting period: 6:45-12:45
Weather: SW 0 rising to 1-2 8/8 -4/8 cloud. Max 14 C. Dry; hazy
Observers: A Hanby

Moving birds:
Cormorant 3 -
Meadow Pipit 575 -
Great Tit 8 -
Pink-footed Goose 15 -
Grey Wagtail 3 -
Tree Sparrow 1 -
Greylag Goose 48 -
alba wagtail sp. 57 -
Chaffinch 62 -
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Dunnock 8 -
Brambling 6 -
Lapwing 46 -
Blackbird 5 -
finch sp. 51 -
Common Snipe 5 -
Song Thrush 6 -
Greenfinch 24 -
Curlew - 1
Mistle Thrush 5 -
Goldfinch 124 -
Black-headed Gull - 86
Chiffchaff 3 -
Siskin 173 -
Common Gull - 23
Goldcrest 2 -
Linnet 86 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 8
Long-tailed Tit 18 -
redpoll sp. 20 -
Skylark 19 -
Coal Tit 32 -
Reed Bunting 3 -
Swallow 581 -
Blue Tit 11 -
bunting sp. 1 -

Totals: 2120 individuals, 36 species, 6:00 hours

Present: Sparrowhawk 2, Common Buzzard 19, Kestrel 3, Golden Plover 75, Lapwing 35, Stock Dove 10, Woodpigeon 25, Jay 2, Jackdaw 363, Starling 250

Comments: A busy morning split between a rush in the first 90 mins comprising the bulk of the Mips ( 575) and then another between 11 and 12 or so when Swallows piled through( 581). Two small Pink flocks went through- 9 at 0805 and 6 at 0820. There also seemed to be some genuine Greylag movements= with 3 flocks in from the WNW. One of the highlights was 'rent a crowd' tit AKA Long tailed tit- which went down the hedge as a single flock of 18- the first since last year. Coal Tits ( 32) are still on the move whereas greats and Blues were relatively diminished. Three Chiff-chaffs moved through in association with the tits. The finch numbers continue to escalate ( when it isn't raining) and included in their number 6 Brambling. the counts of Goldfinch (124) and Siskin( 173) were notable for this site. The bunting so was probably a Yellowhammer.

Andy