Oxenhope... after the rain!.... 07-09-2010

Post Sunset tonight.... three images (c) 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Counting period: 18:40-20:00
Weather: SE F2, 13degC, 65km W - 20km E, 5/8 cunim thunderstorms to E, QNH 1001 rising
Observers: Dave Barker

Moving Birds:
Swallow 62 -
Meadow Pipit 6 -

Totals: 68 individuals, 2 species, 1:20 hours

Present: Goosander 45, Lapwing 15, Curlew 4, Lesser Black-backed Gull 35

Comments: Heavy rain over last night with falling and then troughing (997) QNH but clearing up by dawn. Conditions this morning seemed just right after the deluge with the first "smell of mipits" of the season in the air up here during the early morning but sadly no watch possible. Remaining dry with winds from an easterly quarter and rising QNH throughout till late afternoon when a band of thunder rain passed NE. Very few birds in the sky up here during the evening except for the latter end of the Swallow move, all going south in decreasing numbers, right through almost to sunset. BH Gulls were absent.

Dave

Hunter Hill, Calderdale.... 07-09-2010

Cold Edge, Halifax (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Counting period: 7:45-10:15
Weather: Overnight rain stopped. Wind S - F1 rising to F3. 12c to 14c with good visibility throughout and high cloud to the east and heavier cloud cover to the west.
Observers: David Sutcliffe

Moving birds:
Cormorant 1 -
Swallow 37 + 2
Lapwing - 1
Meadow Pipit 182 -
Common Snipe 5 -
alba wagtail sp. 1 -
Black-headed Gull 3 -
Mistle Thrush 2 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 + 1
Greenfinch 3 -
Skylark 1 -
Goldfinch 21 -

Totals: 262 individuals, 12 species, 2:30 hours

Present: Mallard 1, Sparrowhawk 2, Kestrel 2, Red-legged Partridge 2, Pheasant 1, Lapwing 25, Stock Dove 6, Woodpigeon 40, Green Woodpecker 1, Swallow 25, Magpie 6, Jackdaw 16, Carrion Crow 8

Comments: Hunter Hill watchpoint. A steady movement of Meadow Pipits this morning - unusually non in the quarry. 1 Lapwing high >N with another 25 in the air over towards Thornton Moor were probably disturbed and dropped back down into the fields.

Dave Sutcliffe

Caldene Fields, Low Moor.... 07-09-2010

Caldene Fields, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Counting period: 19:00-19:45
Weather: Very overcast with black cloudy to the E
Observers: Martyn Priestley

Moving birds:
Black-headed Gull - 538
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 24
Common Gull - 1
Swallow - 2

Totals: 565 individuals, 4 species, 0:45 hours

Comments: Caught possibly the tail end of a Gull movement following heavy rain

Martyn Priestley