Oxenhope... gulls come strong, curlews gone! 09-07-2010

W F3, 19degC,65km to the E, 10km to the west, 6/8, QNH 1015 rising
1845 - 2230hr

A bright partially overcast day, quite hot.... rain to the north and west but dry here and to the south and east. An obvious continuation of yesterdays BH Gull surge as the gulleries break with c 340 on the shore at 1845 with arrivals from the north and east together with corresponding departures all of the time. LBB Gulls also influxing with c 496 on the shore at 1845 also with a similar turn over. Now lots of juv BH Gulls and the first juv LBB Gull was noted along with some other interesting older large gulls of the year! Curlews whilst not "gone" as the old rhyme says had taken a tumble with only 26 at roost.... in saying that, birds were still coming in at 2230hr when too dark to count and as I was leaving, so that would be an undercount as would counts on other nights as 2230hr is later than we normally stay. Whilst there was a big turn over in the gulls it appeared as if c 300 LBB Gulls and BH Gulls combined were preparing to roost which up to the present has not been the norm.

Moving birds:
BH Gull c400
LBB Gull c600
Yellow legged Gull (2s) 3
Herring Gull 1
Swift 26
Oystercatcher 1
Curlew 1

Other:
Curlew 26 roost min
Goosander 2
Lapwing 73

Yet again whilst typing this at 2345 I hear Curlews moving west in the now calm and clearing skies over home through the open kitchen door!

Dave