Oxenhope... desperation! 18-10-2010

The Sunrise that Never Came!... (c) 2010


Deep cloud advancing out of Lancashire!!.. (c) 2010

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Monday 18 October 2010
Counting period: 7:15-11:00
Weather: W F5, 9degC, 30km, 8/8 but deepening from the west, QNH 1017 falling
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Gordon Holmes

Moving birds:
Cormorant 6 -
Fieldfare 7 -
Swallow 2 -
Redwing 2 -
Meadow Pipit 29 -
Starling - 135
alba wagtail sp. 2 -

Totals: 183 individuals, 7 species, 3:45 hours

Comments: Broken overnight and into morning but fractus well established below translucidus. Wind from a westerly qtr and QNH falling throughout. A desperate morning with little in the upper skies except for a few Cormorants and virtually no surface movement either that is except for Starlings in small groups NNW throughout. Should be better tomorrow!

Dave, Howard and Gordon

Hunter Hill, Calderdale.... 18-10-2010

Cold Edge, Halifax (W Yorks, England)
Monday 18 October 2010
Counting period: 7:55-11:15
Weather: Hunter Hill watch-point really windy W and N/W F3 gusting to F4/5. 10c with full cloud cover thickening from the west. Reasonable visibility.
Observers: David Sutcliffe

Moving birds:
Cormorant - 1
Common Gull 11 -
Redwing - 131
Mallard 12 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 5 -
Mistle Thrush - 4
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Woodpigeon 33 -
Starling 8 + 54
Golden Plover 7 -
Meadow Pipit 16 -
Chaffinch - 10
Common Snipe - 2
alba wagtail sp. - 2
Greenfinch - 1
Black-headed Gull 22 -
Fieldfare 8 + 31
Goldfinch 2 -

Totals: 361 individuals, 18 species, 3:20 hours

Present: Goosander 1, Sparrowhawk 2, Kestrel 1, Little Owl 2, Green Woodpecker 1, Redwing 200, Coal Tit 1, Great Tit 1, Jay 2, Magpie 6, Jackdaw 44, Carrion Crow 8

Comments: Again struggled to find a sheltered spot! The thrushes and Starlings were mostly heading N/W towards 'the Withens'. c200 Redwings were also around the woodland in the valley.

David Sutcliffe

Caldene Fields, Low Moor.... 18-10-2010

Caldene Fields, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Monday 18 October 2010
Counting period: 7:15-10:15
Weather: Dry with 90% high heavy cloud and a rise in temp to 9c. No wind to start with then 08.00 an F2 S/W with heavy cloud pushing in from the S/W.
Observers: Martyn Priestley

Moving birds;
Black-headed Gull 154 -
Jackdaw 6 -
Common Gull 1+ 1
Carrion Crow 12 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 -
Starling 289 -
Woodpigeon 91 -
Chaffinch 10 -
Meadow Pipit - 1
Greenfinch 39 -
alba wagtail sp. 11 -
Goldfinch 21 -
Fieldfare - 71
Siskin - 1
Redwing - 149

Totals: 858 individuals, 15 species, 3:00 hours

Comments: A quieter day with little movement noted apart from the remnants of yesterday Starling push again to the S/W and on the same flight track. A few hundred thrushes blogging about to the E of the watchpoint

Martyn Priestley