Oxenhope... just steady! 13-10-2010

Cold and Grey... yet again!... (c) Howard Creber 2010


Milky.... (c) Howard Creber 2010


Lonesome Crow.... (c) Howard Creber 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Counting period: 7:00-12:00
Weather: CALM to NW F1, 5degC, 20km, 8/8 to 3/8, Cold grey start followed mid morning by warmth and hazy sunshine. QNH 1024 falling
Observers: Howard Creber

Moving birds:
Grey Plover 1 -
alba wagtail sp. 38 -
Brambling 5 -
Lapwing 28 -
Fieldfare 21 -
Greenfinch 16 -
Common Snipe 7 -
Song Thrush 2 -
Goldfinch 26 -
Woodpigeon 44 -
Redwing 222 -
Siskin 3 -
Skylark 7 -
Mistle Thrush 3 -
Lesser Redpoll 3 -
Swallow 1 -
Jackdaw 13 -
Reed Bunting 2 -
Meadow Pipit 151 -
Starling 91 -
bunting sp. 1 -
Grey Wagtail 1 -
Chaffinch 64 -

Totals: 750 individuals, 23 species, 5:00 hours

Comments: Broken becoming overcast overnight and remaining so til mid morning then first sun and remainig open for daylight hours. Almost calm then light and variable with QNH essentially steady. Unable to sustain yesterday`s spectacular (not unexpected), but nonetheless, an enjoyable watch in what became warm and very tranquil conditions. BV was down in the clough and we exchanged hand signals - however, I stood my ground and stayed. Very milky/murky horizon skies prevented any meaningful long distance scanning. Thrush wise, little evidence of fresh arrivals - a much needed change in the weather is now needed to build and induce the next push!. Chaffinch continued their easterly move in low but steady numbers (64 in 26 seperate groups) and Mipits were still on the go (largest flocks - 2x 18). A Bunt sp. - Lap/Snow - was picked up at distance but at range I was unable to differentiate on call (08.40 hrs). Bird of the day was first picked up on trisyllabic call - a Grey Plover - which was eventually located very high and directly over the watchpoint, circling before heading off high south (10.50 hrs). Alba`s were quite strong with a close single flock of 16 at 07.35. Swallow`s have just about petered out - just the one. Six Snipe in a single flock directly overhead was good to see. Lets see what the `morrow brings !..... Redwing - 222 mainly E.... Song Thrush - 2 E... Fieldfare - 21 W.... Mistle Thrush - 3 E.... Mipit - 151 S.... Greenfinch - 16 E.... Chaffinch - 64 E.... Goldfinch - 26 E.... Siskin - 3 SE.... Brambling - 5 E.... Reed Bunting - 2 E.... Lesser Redpoll - 3 E.... Swallow - 1 E... Alba Wag sp. - 38 S.... Grey Wag - 1 SE.... Wood pigs - 44 E.... Bunt sp. - 1 E.... Starling - 91 W.... Jackdaw - 13 W.... Skylark - 7 E.... Grey Plover - 1 SE.... Lapwing - 28 high W.... Snipe - 7 W....

Howard Creber

Hunter Hill, Calderdale... 13-10-2010

Cold Edge, Halifax (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Counting period: 7:40-10:40
Weather: Wind NE F1 then F0 very calm. 6c to 7.5c. Visibility not brilliant with a grey haze and low cloud gradually breaking up to reveal some welcome warm sunshine!
Observers: David Sutcliffe

Moving birds:
Cormorant 1 -
Collared Dove 3 -
Chaffinch - 66
Mallard 1 -
Meadow Pipit 23 + 42
Brambling - 3
Golden Plover 1 -
Fieldfare - 28
finch sp. 5 -
Common Snipe - 2
Redwing 15 + 24
Siskin - 7
Black-headed Gull 12 -
Jackdaw - 3
Linnet - 1
Common Gull 3 -
Carrion Crow - 5
Bullfinch 3 -
Woodpigeon 26 + 38
Starling - 11

Totals: 323 individuals, 20 species, 3:00 hours

Present: Grey Heron 1, Goosander 20, Little Owl 3, Green Woodpecker 2, Jay 2, Magpie 6, Jackdaw 18, Carrion Crow 15

Comments: Hunter Hill - unusually for this site most movers were coming from the S S/E and due to the haze they were difficult to pick up at any distance. Also a suspiscion that some of the finch flocks were high and out of sight (?)

David Sutcliffe

Caldene Fields, Low Moor.... 13-10-2010

Caldene Fields, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Counting period: 7:00-9:30
Weather: Dry with 100% high cloud and a hint of a N/W wind. Temp 7c and good visibility to around 8+ miles. Conditions remained static throughout the watch.
Observers: Martyn Priestley

Moving birds:
Canada Goose 6 -
Grey Wagtail - 2
Starling 98 + 42
Mallard - 2
alba wagtail sp. 1 + 10
Chaffinch 1 + 4
Black-headed Gull 67 -
Fieldfare 3 + 4
Greenfinch 23 -
Common Gull 1 -
Redwing 55 + 71
Goldfinch 88 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1
Mistle Thrush - 2
Siskin 1 -
Woodpigeon 32 + 142
Jackdaw 37 -
Lesser Redpoll 1 -
Meadow Pipit 4 -
Carrion Crow 6 + 5
Bullfinch 3 + 2

Totals: 714 individuals, 21 species, 2:30 hours

Comments: A similar watch to yesterday with at times ‘ Spot the bird skies!’ However, an increase in Jackdaws was noted to the S/W and some reds were moving. An increase in Starlings coming in from the N/E and an interesting observation of an increase in Bullfinches with 4 coming and settled in nearby bushes and were probably locals then 2 high flyers to the N/W followed by 3 to the S. And passage of BH Gulls is starting to slow here as is fairly usual around mid October and Woods are starting to gather in there pre movement state with a flock of over 250+ S seen only to break, separate and drop down to feed.

Martyn Priestley