Oxenhope... continuing am surge! 10-07-2010

Lessers at rest.... (c) 2010


Lessers and black headed at rest... (c) 2010

SSW F4, 22degC, 65km, 4/8, increasing 7/8, QNH 1016 rising

1005 - 1350hr

An active morning becoming less so into the afternoon. Lots of dispursing gulls in the sky moving on a broad front and coming out of the north possibly more to my west than to my east. The secondary flow today was out of the east. Straggling parties of upto 60 BH Gulls coming in.... where as many of the lessers were dropping down from very high but many were going straight through, high up, at distance in long lines and skeins. Swifts were also going for it into the wind and in addition there had been an influx of Lapwing with a very large group on the in.bye. A Dunlin that was on the shore left to the east and ten Curlew went west in one group.

Moving birds:

LBB Gull 764

BH Gull 568

Herring Gull 1

Yellow legged Gull 2

Common Gull 1

Dunlin 1

Curlew 10

Swift 563

Other:

Lapwing 264

Oystercatcher 1

W F2 becoming CALM, 19degC, 100km, 8/8, QNH 1013 falling

1915 - 2230hr

Skies quiet... very quiet in relation to this morning and the last few evenings... quite humid with the "smell" of impending rain! Mipit parties with seven the biggest were noted going west during the mid evening period in much bigger numbers than during the previous week... c 200 gulls were preparing to roost. Another reduction in the early Curlew roost numbers but again as last night a big unseen and thus uncountable pile came in very late on at c 2225hr. Also calls from a straight through Redshank going high west very late on and whilst at the bottom gate locking up a party of calling Curlew going high west.... a Grey Partridge was calling... these calm quiet nights in the hills are fantastic!

Moving birds:

LBB Gull c 50

BH Gull c 50

Curlew 12

Meadow Pipit 26

Redshank 1

Dave