Pennine Skywatch: 22 Sept 2010

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Oxenhope... kiss me honey honey!! 22-09-2010

Velum... and the next weather advances.... (c) 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 22 September 2010
Counting period: 6:25-13:15
Weather: SSW F1 becoming F3, 12degC at dawn, 30km haze, 6/8 becoming 1/8 then 8/8, QNH 1016 falling
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Rodney Procter

Moving birds:
Tufted Duck 1 -
Black-headed Gull 125 -
alba wagtail sp. 33 -
Honey Buzzard 1 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 96 -
Stonechat 2 -
Sparrowhawk 3 -
Woodpigeon 27 -
Song Thrush 16 -
Common Buzzard 1 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 -
Mistle Thrush 6 -
Kestrel 4 -
Skylark 23 -
Chaffinch 184 -
Hobby 1 -
Swallow 595 -
Greenfinch 38 -
Lapwing 6 -
House Martin 85 -
Goldfinch 26 -
Dunlin 1 -
Meadow Pipit 840 -
Linnet 57 -
Common Snipe 20 -
Grey Wagtail 5 -
Red Admiral 46 -

Totals: 2243 individuals, 27 species, 6:50 hours

Present: Lapwing 146

Comments: Open sky for first part of night, then becoming broken but open again from mid morning. Calm overnight becoming v light wind but QNH falling throughout. Rain by 1700hr. Mipits seemed to be going well m,ainly south first off but soon petered out to almost nothing. Swallows again ok south early but the later increase never came. Again chaffs well represented most going west but a few later on going south. The main early morning interest this morning was the passage of Song Thrushes west in ones, twos and threes... looking v Redwing but all confirmed ST. a GS Woodpecker went very high west as did all of the waders but much lower including a spectacular whisp of 13 Snipe. A Hobby went SW at 1008. The main late morning interest began c 1100hr with a spectacular passage of Red Admirals west... other butterflies moths? that I couldent get enough on to id were also involved in the move but includind a few Small Tortoiseshells and a Peacock. Fou large Dragonfly sp also went W. but the bird of the day was a Honey Buzzard through in the lunchtime BOP slot at 1235 south, through the col... I can only be the remnants of Howards brown bread honey sandwiches left on the wall that attracted this.... A Common Buzzard also through. Today two different single passerine sp both calling going through got away,,, some work to do here yet!

Dave, Howard and Rodney

PAUL CLOUGH 22-09-2010
It appeared to be a perfect morning to see birds moving... but the Clough was devoid of birds, The only movement was above with 140 Mpipts moving south between 0700hrs to 0800hrs, and two Grey Wagtails. Pm I found three adult Stonechats on Nab Water Lane these may be the forerunners of the Autumn drift south.
Brian Vickers

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate.... 22-09-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Wednesday 22 September 2010
Counting period: 8:50-11:12
Weather: Hazy; F2-3 SW wind; cool at first then becoming v mild. Visibility up to 15 miles to NW but prob 6 max to east.
Observers: A Hanby

Moving birds:
Kestrel 1 -
Swallow 261 -
Magpie 3 -
Golden Plover 5 -
House Martin 4 -
Tree Sparrow 8 -
Lapwing 27 -
Meadow Pipit 451 -
Chaffinch 19 -
Common Snipe 11 -
Grey Wagtail 3 -
finch sp. 15 -
Black-headed Gull 1 -
alba wagtail sp. 4 -
Greenfinch 12 -
Common Gull 28 -
Mistle Thrush 19 -
Goldfinch 40 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1
Coal Tit 10 -
Siskin 22 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Blue Tit 3 -
Linnet 63 -
Skylark 35 -
Jay - 1
Twite 25 -

Totals: 1073 individuals, 27 species, 2:22 hours

Present: Red Kite 10, Common Buzzard 5, Kestrel 5, Stock Dove 8, Woodpigeon 15, Dunnock 1, Coal Tit 4, Blue Tit 2, Great Tit 1, Jackdaw 45, Rook 25, Red Admiral 2, Comma 1

Comments: A late start- on school run duty meant that the cream of the morning had gone. Things also died off fairly rapidly after10.30, however the early portion suggests I had missed a lot. Skylarks continue to move S; I wonder if they generally choose lower routes at this time of the year- hence less at higher places like Oxenhope. At 261 Swallows were well done but early doors were flying over my house in Harrogate so I think I missed a shedload. The hedge was quieter with only really Coal Tits going for it- 10 went through plus another 4 u-turned. Siskins ( 17 and 5) are on the up and may appear in greater numbers when the wind goes NE. Finches provided the stars of the day with a grand flock of 25 Twite low West along the road past me- reminded me of my recent holiday on Orkney.

Andy

Calden Fields, Low Moor.... 22-09-2010

Caldene Fields, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 22 September 2010
Counting period: 6:30-8:45
Weather: Dry with 60% light patchy cloud always clearer to the E/S/E. A hint of a S wind, mild 10C with excellent visibility to + 20 miles
Observers: Martyn Priestley

Moving birds:
Mallard - 6
Meadow Pipit 26 + 4
Carrion Crow 11 + 1
Kestrel - 1
Grey Wagtail 1 -
Chaffinch 5 1
Black-headed Gull 307 -
alba wagtail sp. 25 -
finch sp. 5 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 + 7
Mistle Thrush - 12
Greenfinch 11 -
Woodpigeon 31 -
Jackdaw 1 -
Goldfinch 81 + 111
Swallow 13 + 23
Rook 1 -

Totals: 685 individuals, 17 species, 2:15 hours

Comments: Not that much was moving here today and there were certainly was no great numbers of Mipits moving, but BB Gulls moved in good numbers and veered to the S/S/W. Goldfinches once again showed very well with a new site record and also a southerly movement was noted today as well as some Swallow also moved S which is unusual here. Another single (uncommon) Rook moved due S.

Martyn