instability!!!.... 2011-10-26

 Pre sunrise cunim over The Isle of Man.... (c) 2011

 Pre sunrise cunim over The North Sea.... (c) 2011

 Mid Day..... (c) 2011

 Mid Day.... (c) 2011

 Migrating Jackdaws.... (c) 2011

 Migrating Jackdaws.... (c) 2011

 Migrating Jackdaws.... (c) 2011

 Starling hightrek..... (c) 2011

Starling hightrek... compare flock evolution with snap above.... (c) 2011

male marshy... with carrions in attendance... massively enlarged (c) 2011

ditto... ditto... (c) 2011

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 26 October 2011
Counting period: 7:15 - 15:00
Weather: wind SSE3, cloud-cover 3/8, visibility 65000m, temperature 4 ℃, S F4 becoming CALM then SSE F3, 3ok, 4degC, 65-30-65km, QNH 999 rising 1001
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Lester Ward

Cormorant 1 -
Woodpigeon 1554 -
finch sp. 47 -
Pink-footed Goose - 100
Skylark 17 -
Greenfinch 17 -
Goosander 1 -
alba wagtail sp. 5 -
Goldfinch 29 -
Marsh Harrier 1 -
Fieldfare 333 -
Siskin 1 -
Sparrowhawk 3 -
Redwing 47 -
Crossbill 2 -
Golden Plover 4 -
Jackdaw 160 -
Bullfinch 1 -
Lapwing 15 -
Starling 1066 -
Reed Bunting 3 -
Stock Dove 13 -
Chaffinch 27 -

Totals: 3447 individuals, 23 species, 7:45 hours

Comments: Gulls not counted. A bright but very cold start with instability evidenced by deep and active cunim tops visible both mid Irish Sea and well out over the North Sea. A poor but unusually extended woodpigeon passage. Thrushes few with this migration now very old here and going any old way. Starlings few initialy, mainly low NW, picked up mid day with a resumption of high passage on exactly the same course as of previous days. Jackdaws passing very high. A very distant large raptor SE with a couple of carrions in attendance and unresolveable through scopes proved following perusal of snaps to be male marsh!

Dave