Oxenhope... swallow surge! 08-08-2010

Post Sunrise this Morning.... (c) 2010


Cormorants SE.... 5#10... in one skein.... (c) 2010


Cormorants NW.... 1#6.... (c) 2010

Goosander.... (c) 2010

Goosanders in from NW.... (c) 2010

Sundog o' the Kirk!.... (c) 2010

Weather to add...

0555 - 1240hr

The first early morning watch of the autumn and off to a good start following a calm clear night! Ideallic conditions to appreciate the vis in all respects with NW F1, then total calm, then S F1 as a ridge of high pressure passed over with associated cloud cover advancing from the west. Good congregations of mipits and as usual for the time of year rolling west but more defined movement was happening as well this was both to the west and south west. Swallows were coming through in parties of up to 30 mainly from the NW and on SE but most were much smaller some seemed to be young birds... many of the parties were pausing to drink over the calm water... there one minute and gone the next. Cormorants were phenomenal with a large skein of 10, initially thought to be geese passing through SE at just above eye level, later on there was movement to the NW as well. Tree Pipits went SE at 0655 and SW at 0731... a flava wag went SW at 0725 and there was continuing Grey Wagtail movement all to the west. A female Redstart was in the wood along with 12 Willow Warblers and a single Chiff, no doubt all the product of the calm clear night just passed.... not a Wheatear or a wader was to be seen!

Moving Birds:

Meadow Pipit 41

Swallow 211

Cormorant 16

Tree Pipit 3

Grey Wagtail 4

flava wagtail 1

Stock Dove 2

Sand Martin 6

Great spotted Woodpecker 2

Swift 2

Linnet 7

LBB Gull 564

BH Gull 31

Common Gull 1

Redstart 1

Willow Warbler 1

Chiffchaff 1

Goosander 16

Mallard 24

Teal 1

W F3, 18degC, 65km, 4/8, QNH 1020 falling after ridging at c lunchtime

1500 - 2100hr

Nice to be out but a poor afternoon with virtually nothing in the sky except for the gulls... another Yellow leg just when we though they had stopped was good... Nine Curlews had come in to roost before 2040.

Moving birds:

LBB Gull 326

BH Gull 105

Common Gull 1

Herring Gull 2

Yellow legged Gull 1

Other:

Curlew 9

Dave