avalanche!!!!.... 2011-09-26

 Sunrise.... (c) 2011

 The road from the North.... at sunrise!... (c) 2011

 Nine Images for the Cloud Freaks!!... THE BIG MONTANNA SKY! (c) 2011

Buzzard migration overhead!.... (c) 2011

SW F2 becoming W F4, 4 becoming 2ok, 10degC rising, 40km becoming 60, overnight rain ceased just before dawn, QNH 1015 rising quickly 1021

0620-1345hr DCB, HC, LW

Yesterdays anticipation from pointers available fulfilled in total with an overwhelming deluge of mips all moving south, at times the big and improving "montanna" sky was full, east to west with migrating mipits... most at skip level with many above. The first were a couple at 0640 but the rush from the Dales didnt get going properly til some while after but when it did, at peak the three of us were really struggling to keep up. The mip total today (7498) smashed our previous record (6040, 2011-09-25) by almost 1500 birds, so well happy here!!! Characteristically albas were exceptionally strong today as well. By 0930 the pace had slackened considerable but birds were still coming at a more normal rate.... thus we feel there may well be yet another big day to come here. Other species were more normal in numbers but there was good late September diversity. Additional info from the Barden watchpoint told of a late Swift and a flock of c120 Golden Plovers > E. The thrush sp ( two small very high flocks) looked more like Redwings and may well have been!

Mip 7498
alba 106
BHG 43
Chaffinch 5
Linnet 47
Swallow 434
Dunnock 1
Merlin 2
Jay 2
sparrowhawk 4
siskin 20 + 8 unseen flocks
Greenfinch 20
Carrion Crow 1
Stock dove 3
Woodpigeon 1
skylark 28
Starling 13
LBBG 90
Mistle Thrush 17
Cormorant 4
Snipe 4
Lapwing 28
thrush sp 35
Golfinch 1
Great spotted Woodpecker 2
finch sp 9
Magpie 7
kestrel 1
Reed Bunting 2
bird sp 1
Raven 5
Red Admiral 5
Buzzard 2 (incl 1 as I was packing up Howard)
Goosander 1
Pink footed Goose 11

Dave, Howard and Lester