Stainburn Moor, Harrogate... mildly interesting! 27/28-02-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Saturday 27 February 2010
Counting period: 7:25-11:30
Weather: 7 Oktas down to 6 then to 8 at end of watch. -1 C rising to 3 at end. Wind NNE round to E in last hour. Visibility good to W poor to E then all poor by end of watch.
Observers: Andrew Hanby, John Blacker.

Moving Birds:
Grey Heron - 1
Curlew - 26
Starling - 207
Pink-footed Goose - 120
Herring Gull - 26
Greenfinch - 3
Greylag Goose 8 -
Great Black-backed Gull - 2
Goldfinch - 4
Anser sp. - 5
Skylark - 32
Linnet - 2
Canada Goose - 1
Meadow Pipit - 3
Lapwing - 48
Fieldfare - 73

Totals: 561 individuals, 16 species, 4:05 hours

Present: Mallard 15, Red Kite 5, Sparrowhawk 1, Common Buzzard 1, Kestrel 3, Peregrine 1, Golden Plover 270, Lapwing 33, Common Snipe 1, Curlew 16, Black-headed Gull 8, Common Gull 95, Stock Dove 10, Woodpigeon 25, Skylark 5, Blackbird 1, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 2, Magpie 6, Jackdaw 15, Rook 70, Carrion Crow 5, Starling 250, Chaffinch 6

Comments: Mildly interesting with a noticeable increase in Golden Plover, the first Snipe and Herons of the year and continued increases in Skylark( biggest flock 16 ENE) and Curlew. The Pink Foot flock came in really low to the East of us and then Rose as it headed N towards Ripon. This flock appeared at 0830 which makes me think that an origin in the region of the Humber was most likely. A flock of 5 Anser sp ENE along the Wharfe looked 'interesting' but we couldn't do anything with them.

Andy and John


Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Sunday 28 February 2010
Counting period: 7:21-9:06
Weather: 3 C 8/8 cloud wind NNW 4, visisbility moderate
Observers: A Hanby, J Blacker

Moving Birds:
Grey Heron - 1
Common Gull - 35
Starling - 265
Greylag Goose 1 - 4
Herring Gull 1 - 8
finch sp. - 5
Oystercatcher - 2
Skylark - 12
Greenfinch - 3
Lapwing - 25
Meadow Pipit - 1
Goldfinch - 3
Curlew - 8
Fieldfare - 15
Black-headed Gull - 6
Redwing - 4

Totals: 399 individuals, 16 species, 1:45 hours

Present: Red Kite 1, buzzard sp. 1, Common Gull 145, Ring Ouzel 1, Great Tit 4, Magpie 2, Jackdaw 10

Comments: Windchill nasty at this site with virtually no cover at all so not out as long as yesterday. Neither Oystercatcher was seen which puts them up there with Siskin on the invisibility stakes ( unusually)

Andy and John

Oxenhope.... moors still under snow! 27-02-2010

Acres of Ice!... (c) 2010


The future is bleak!... (c) 2010


A Little Thaw... (c) 2010

The Western in-byes and Moors beyond... (c) 2010

The Dark and Dismal Valley.... from the "snow" line (c) 2010

ENE F2, -1degC, 4000m, 9/8 fog startus, light snow, QNH 993 falling

0815-1100hr

The moors once again under snow and initially freezing keen. A promising start but terminated with sky soon overdrawing from the south and fog stratus coming down. Despite the conditions some movement observed with two groups of Lapwings going northwest, several moderate sqadrons of starlings moving both high and low east, a Skylark west. A small skein of Canadas passed west presumeably coming back to the moors and at the gate on the way out 33 pinks also went that way.... there might have been more but the bitter cold was biting and with the temperature rising albeit slightly the fogs were extending down fom the tops.

Moving Birds:

Lapwing 56 > NW

Starling 41 > E

Skylark 1 > W

Canada 21 > W

Pinkfeet 33 > W

All in all in view of the conditions a satisfactory count for early spring!

Dave