pink rain!!... 2011-10-12

Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Counting period: 6:30-9:00
Weather: cloud-cover 8/8, precipitation rain, visibility 2000m, temperature 7 ℃, CALM increasing NE F1, 9ok, 7degC, 5000m reducing 200m, damping becoming pink rain, QNH 1016 rising 1017
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber

Meadow Pipit 27 -
Jackdaw 1 -
Redwing - 20
Lesser Redpoll 7 -

Totals: 55 individuals, 4 species, 2:30 hours

Comments: Right under the southern edge of the advancing laterally moving front to the north of us.... Calm initially, just damping but with good visibility. Best pre light Redwing migration to date with many birds heard and some seen moving NW along the front, all in all suggesting a dramatically improving situation, if not an arrival. The 20 reports recorded are not birds seen but calls in the short pre light period.The calm brought one of the rare autumn dawn chorus to the moors which was impressive in its self. Frequent checks on the rainfall radar confirmed the front to be advancing little towards us but moving SE out to sea with exceptionally heavy rain to our north, thus able to remain until pink and even red rain enveloped suddenly just after 0900hr. Wish we could have been on the north edge of this front as much potential here and following on?

Dave and Howard