Pennine Skywatch: 23 Sept 2010

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Oxenhope.... morose!! 23-09-2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 23 September 2010
Counting period: 6:30-12:05
Weather: S becoming SSW F1/2 then SW F3, 13degC, 30 becoming 65km, 8/8 very low becoming 4/8, QNH 1005 falling.
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber

Moving birds:
Cormorant 2 -
Swallow 55 -
Chaffinch 63 -
Mallard 4 -
Meadow Pipit 328 -
Greenfinch 45 -
Red Kite 1 -
alba wagtail sp. 30 -
Goldfinch 5 -
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Wheatear 1 -
Siskin 1 -
Kestrel 1 -
Song Thrush 2 -
Linnet 27 -
Peregrine 1 -
Mistle Thrush 11 -
Lapland Bunting 4 -
Lapwing 146 -
Willow Warbler 1 -
bunting sp. 4 -
Common Snipe 2 -
Jackdaw 12 -
Red Admiral 3 -
Black-headed Gull 54 -
Rook 1 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 121 -
Starling - 23

Totals: 949 individuals, 28 species, 5:35 hours

Comments: Changeable overnight with periods of open sky but exceptionally heavy rain over the high tops of the Pennines spreading longitudinally up from the SW whilst almost fine just to the east. Wind always light from a southerly then westerly quarter and QNH falling throughout. Torrential showers still continuing mainly to our west but long gaps between but very black skies! My report title is going to be "morose!" a word that says it all relative to the weather this morning!!!.... ie sullen and bad tempered. but the good thing about it was that the wind was very light, absolutely serene when it was'nt raining. The laps went over in these periods of almost calm and black skies with very low ragged cloudbase, c 1300ft as the fractus was down on the higher ground just above us. They were at well spaced intervals... and none after the skies began to open.... Times were 0832, 0855, 0929 and 0958. A Red Kite was up soaring to our east, an uncommon bird here but it gradually worked its way off east in the Pudsey direction. Mipits were poor, as were Swallows but in relative terms chaffs were strong as were albas. Another couple of Song Thrush west as well as a few more Jackdaws west in two groups in typical raggeling fashion. Groups of Lapwing wer coming through west from way out to the east, some were initially picked up at range almost as far as the scope could see. A single Rook south was the bird of the day.... uncommon up here! A little group of what were considered to be bunt sp went high east at 0810 at cloudbase level there were no calls to be heard, as with the last bunt sp recorded, this is an unusual direction and mode for small pa sp at this watchpoint!

Dave and Howard

PAUL CLOUGH 23-09-2010

0700 -0900
Arrived at the Clough at the same time as the rain, during the brief dry spells I could see Mpipts flying south up the hill 110 in all,during a heavy shower I had just retired to the car when 7 Snipe came low up the Clough and over the car at no more than 15 metres high and sped up over the moor.

1115- 1245
Birds still moving out of the Clough, 15 Goldfinch 6 Greenfinch, 20+ chaffinch also 18 Swallows Through,8 Bullfinch 12 Long Tailed Tits and some Bluetits, Coaltits, Great Tits blogging around in the Clough.

Brian Vickers

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate... 23-01-2010

Stainburn Moor, Harrogate (N Yorks, England)
Thursday 23 September 2010
Counting period: 6:56-12:04
Weather: SW 1-2 8/8 -4/8 cloud. Heavy showers; mild despite the forecast which suggested otherwise ( 19c at end of watch)..
Observers: A Hanby

Moving birds:
Cormorant - 3
Skylark 29 -
Blue Tit 2 -
Greylag Goose 60 -
Sand Martin 1 -
Great Tit 3 -
Honey Buzzard 1 -
Swallow 137 -
Jay 1 -
Sparrowhawk 3 -
Meadow Pipit 672 -
Magpie 2 -
Common Buzzard 3 -
Grey Wagtail 1 -
Chaffinch 75 -
buzzard sp. 1 -
alba wagtail sp. 28 -
finch sp. 15 -
Lapwing 172 -
Dunnock 13 -
Greenfinch 10 -
Common Snipe 12 -
Song Thrush 1 -
Goldfinch 39 -
Common Gull 4 -
Mistle Thrush 34 -
Siskin 6 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 -
Turdus sp. 6 -
Linnet 55 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 -
Coal Tit 4 + 15
Yellowhammer 1 -

Totals: 1411 individuals, 33 species, 5:08 hours

Present: Greylag Goose 1300, Mallard 15, Common Buzzard 8, Kestrel 3, Curlew 1, Stock Dove 8, Woodpigeon 40, Jackdaw 25, Rook 15, Starling 400

Comments: Another day when Lapland Bunting eluded the watch point which is surprising as Ive seen them here int he poast- hey ho. As indicated in my weather notes I expected a dismal day weather wise, but, in fact appart from two heavy showers all was fine and a reasonable number of birds went by including 1, possibly 2 Honey Buzzard ( see below). The most spectacular event was c1300 Greylag Geese which went South over the route of the A61 and then appeared to land in Harewood; suffice to say I put these down as 'about', though some others kept going south. At 11.10 a probable Honey Buzzard flew through SW into the Wharfe and at 11.40 parallel to the route of this a definite went through and would have gone over the Ridge at Cookridge a bit to the east of the radio mast. Neither bird did any soaring and were engaged in active flight the whole time ( including some glides). Lapwing were also moving ( see also afternoon watch) with a total of 246 through south during the day ( overlooked until first edit!) Meadow Pipits (672) plodded on most of the morning with a relative shift of movement more to the East of me today. Dunnocks performed well with a flock of 9 and 4 through rising vertically out of the hedge in typical dithering flight before going into more direct migration mode. The 6 Tudus sp flew SW into the wharfe as one flock in a configuration that suggested Redwing, but I resisted the temptation to make the call as they were distant. Coal tits were again on the move with 4 South down the hedge and an amazing single flock of 15 that came along the hedge and then bucked the trend by rising up high and heading due North.

.....................................................
Counting period: 14:00-15:00
Weather: SW0-1 wind, warm with thundery showers.
Observers: A Hanby

Moving birds:
Lapwing 74 -
Great Tit 2 -
Swallow 12 -
Goldfinch 6 -
Meadow Pipit 3 -
Linnet 5 -
alba wagtail sp. 8 -

Totals: 110 individuals, 7 species, 1:00 hours

Present: Golden Plover 7, Lapwing 57

Comments: An afternoon watch which showed further light passage; though 8 albas and 62 lapwings

Andy

Caldene Fields, Low Moor.... 23-09-2010

Caldene Fields, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Thursday 23 September 2010
Counting period: 6:30-8:15
Weather: : Dry with 80% thin high cloud and a F2 S/W wind. Mild 11c and excellent visibility to 20 miles+.
Observers: Martyn Priestley

Moving birds:
Mallard 3 -
Swallow - 17
Chaffinch 1 -
Black-headed Gull 227 -
Meadow Pipit 11 -
finch sp. 2 -
Common Gull 2 -
alba wagtail sp. 5 + 3
Greenfinch 12 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1
Jackdaw - 2
Goldfinch 34 -
Stock Dove 1 -
Carrion Crow 2 + 1
Woodpigeon 14 -
Starling - 13

Totals: 351 individuals, 16 species, 1:45 hours

Comments: Little movement noted below the cloud base here today. The majority of BH Gulls again were noted veering to the S/W.

Martyn