Oxenhope... the silence of the moor! 31-08-2010

Wigeon sleeping.... arrived since late afternoon... (c) 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Counting period: 14:15-16:30
Weather: Fine and sunny with a light westerly breeze
Observers: Rod Procter, Elsie Procter

Moving birds:
Black-headed Gull 82 -
Herring Gull 2 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 69 -
Meadow Pipit 6 -

Totals: 159 individuals, 4 species, 2:15 hours

Counting period: 18:40-21:00
Weather: WNW F1 reducing CALM, 15degC, 65km+, 8/8 cirrostartus only - halo and two bright sundogs, QNH 1023 falling

Observers: Dave Barker

Moving birds:
Wigeon 10 -
Curlew 6 -
Golden Plover 5 -
Black-headed Gull 8 -
Common Snipe 10 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 180 -
Whimbrel 1 -
Meadow Pipit 21 -

Totals: 241 individuals, 8 species, 2:20 hours

Present: Goosander 26

Comments: Open sky overnight and throughout the day. High pressure well and truely set in but QNH falling since c1100. Light wind from a westerly quarter throughout. A fantastic night to be out in the silence of the "high moor" now deserted except for the Red Grouse with only the worry of the flies!...Tranquillity!!... two Wigeon were sleeping on the shore with the Goosander roost when I arrived. These must have come in since late afternoon.... shortly after sunset another ten dropped in out of the east and were quite noisy after coming down initially. A distant Whimbrel went high SW calling and a party of Curlew went west. As light thickened Snipe were heard overhead in the sky and a party of 7 west were located... another three went past a little later on. Meadow Pipits were weak tonight with only 21 west. The Goosander total was 26 but there was still time for more to arrive. This morning Brian Vickers had three Shelduck at 1100hr sleeping on the shore of the reservoir not far away... a product of the previous nights migration.

Dave

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate.... 31-08-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Counting period: 6:57-11:17
Weather: SW 1-2 cold at first, warm later. 0/8 cloud at first 1/8 later. Dry. Haze particularly to East.
Observers: Andrew hanby


Moving Birds:
Grey Heron 1 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 -
Spotted Flycatcher 2 -
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Sand Martin 2 -
Coal Tit 3 -
Common Buzzard 1 -
Swallow 146 -
Blue Tit 5 -
Kestrel 1 -
House Martin 38 -
Great Tit 7 -
Lapwing 47 -
Tree Pipit 2 -
Magpie 1 -
Common Snipe 7 -
Meadow Pipit 112 -
Starling 68 -
Curlew 8 -
flava wagtail sp. 4 -
Tree Sparrow 11 -
Black-headed Gull - 11
alba wagtail sp. 1 -
Chaffinch 16 -
Common Gull - 37
Dunnock 10 -
Greenfinch 1 -
Stock Dove 23 -
Wheatear 7 -
Goldfinch 18 -
Woodpigeon 83 -
Chiffchaff 1 -
Siskin 2 -
Collared Dove 4 -
Willow Warbler 1 -
Bullfinch 1 -

Totals: 685 individuals, 36 species, 4:20 hours

Present: Red Kite 12, Sparrowhawk 3, Common Buzzard 3, Kestrel 2, Peregrine 1, Golden Plover 140, Lapwing 90, Curlew 12, Dunnock 2, Blackbird 1, Jackdaw 20, Rook 60, Carrion Crow 5, Starling 150, House Sparrow 1, Linnet 14

Comments: Today has been the first day that i have felt enthusiastic enough to pen anything here. It was not so much the numbers but the variety that kept me going and my pulse racing. No rares but very much a lucky dip sort of day. It died rather abruptly around 1045 and after 30 mins of nothing very much I Jacked it in, I also arrive late ( 0657) and it didn't really get going till 0715. In general all was going W or SW- I've put as S in Trektellen- though a minority was actually going in that direction. The immature male peregrine was blasting around intermittently again today- I guess its killing stuff - but it has been a failure in all my observations! Lapwing much reduced on the deck with some definite movers due South ( 47), whereas Curlew were on the up with 12 on the deck and 8 west. Gulls were v sparse indeed. As well as two Tree Pipits South, a rare bird for us Meadow pipits were up on previous days especially between 0930 and 10 30 ( 112), biggest flock 17. Flavas with 4 continue their good showing this autumn. Dunnocks provided one of the high points of the days. After a lot of calling 7 Dunnocks rose out the hedge and head high South, followed about an hour later by three more. I've seen this on the coast but never at an inland sight. The hedge in general was interesting with a trickle of tits moving west along it was well as a Willow Warbler and a Chiff. 11 Tree Sparrows went West ( 3, 2, 1, 5) which, interestingly coincided with a House Sparrow appearing in the hedge and Chirping all morning. The other main highlight were the two Spotted flycatchers south. The first flew past me and I was left scratching my head till I heard a call and the second dropped in briefly on the handy set of wires by where we stand I(photo in album). The finale was a Bullfinch which headed down the Hedge then up high West. All in all - pretty Spiffing! Andy

Andrew Hanby

Caldene Fields, Low Moor.... 31-08-2010

Caldene Fields, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Counting period: 6:15-8:00
Weather: A dry pleasant morning with 10% high cloud and giving long sunny periods and a temp of 6c. Visibility to 10 miles due to low mist.
Observers: Martyn Priestley

Moving birds:
Sparrowhawk 2 -
alba wagtail sp. - 1
Black-headed Gull 12 -
Jackdaw 1 -
Stock Dove 1 + 1
Carrion Crow 4 -
Woodpigeon 33 + 4
Chaffinch 4 -
Collared Dove 1 + 3
Greenfinch 18 -
Swallow - 13
Goldfinch 7 + 22
Meadow Pipit 5 -
Lesser Redpoll 1 -

Totals: 133 individuals, 14 species, 1:45 hours

Comments: An average watch but an early Redpoll S and a slight increase in Greenfinch numbers was interesting

Martyn Priestley

Reva, Rombalds Moor... 31-08-2010

Reva Watchpoint on Tuesday 31 August 2010

With wall to wall blue sky and a gentle S W breeze, I was in position at 08.00 with the intention of staying the morning.

08.00 to 08.15 2 Swallows flew SW

08.15 to 08.30 single Swallow SW

08.30 to 0845 8 Swallow SW

08.45 to 9.00 no movement

09.00 to 09.15 15 Swallow SW

09.15 to 10.00 no movement


After 09.15 Swallows remained in the area skirting Reva Hill and the reservoir but did not move on. About 20 birds hunted for food with a few youngsters perched here and there waiting to be fed.

Local birds – a flock of about 30 Goldfinch moved about the fields containing thistles and both Stock Dove and Woodpigeon flew about. Meadow Pipits remained on the edge of Reva Hill feeding up but none moved through. 3 Cormorant and 5 Lapwing came over but were heading for Weecher Reservoir but both Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were recorded.

In view of the inactivity, I moved on to look for migrants at Glovershaw which I detail below.

Glovershaw – 5 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear

Birch Close Lane – Wheatear

Sconce Lane – male Redstart

Behind Glovershaw Farm – 3 Spotted Flycatchers.


Shaun Radcliffe