Oxenhope... sweet nothings but snow! 10-11-2010

Pre Sunrise Today!... (c) 2010


Just cold and nasty!!... (c) 2010


Three Peaks at Dawn... (c) 2010

The next weather on the Horizon!...Early pm... (c) 2010

First sun on the Great Whernside Snows!... (c) 2010

Ingleborough... Snow Clad!.... (c) 2010

Simon Fell and Settle... (c) 2010

Penyghent.... also Snow capped... (c) 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Counting period: 7:00-14:15
Weather: NW F3, -1degC ice.. the first lying snow of the season on Dales hill tops, 100km + Humber Br and Lincolnshire, 7/8 opening 0/8, QNH 997 rising
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber

Moving birds:
Cormorant - 1
Blackbird 5 -
Sparrowhawk 2 -
Fieldfare 82 -
Peregrine 1 -
Redwing 5 -
Woodpigeon - 32
Starling - 117
Meadow Pipit 4 -
Greenfinch 2 -
alba wagtail sp. 1 -

Totals: 252 individuals, 11 species, 7:15 hours

Comments: Mainly open during first part of night but becoming overcast by dawn and only opening again from the west progressively mid / late morning. Wind from a NW qtr and QNH rising throughout. A few Blackbirds relocating from the moor prior to first light suggested and arrival. Braceingly cold initially with yesterdays snow still on the hills! An obvious clearout of local birds with virtually nothing in evidence on the moor after the inclement conditions of the last couple of days!... An almost blank morning with virtually nothing in the sky... visibility and conditions ideal for pigeon observation but none at all south and with only a handful east and north.... could the pressure be too low or have they all moved through now? Strangely Starlings totally absent also til early afternoon, than starting to pass NNW on the continental track just as we were packing up with a couple of big flocks through but no alternative, we had to leave. Little else of significance as nothing there to report, so the later part of the morning was open to holisic sky observation in the background....Even at mid day Venus was shining majestically in the deep blue... "so big" and tremendous, in fact almost minature moon like, c 1hr in front of the sun following its passage through inferior conjunction late last month... never seen it in this close phase before... so do seek it out!... well we had to do something to keep us occupiued as just nothing to count!!

Dave and Howard