potential!!..... 2011-10-11

Prowling Rain... two images... (c) Howard Creber 2011

Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 11 October 2011
Counting period: 12:00-14:00
Weather: wind West3, cloud-cover 8/8, precipitation drizzle, visibility 100000m, temperature 13 ℃, W F3/4, 8ok, 100km E peak, 13degC, showers, QNH 1014 rising 1015
Observers: Howard Creber

Black-headed Gull 43 -
Mistle Thrush 5 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 -
Starling - 8
Skylark 1 -
Chaffinch 26 -
Swallow 6 -
Greenfinch 11 -
Meadow Pipit 121 -
Siskin 10 -
alba wagtail sp. 6 -
Crossbill 27 -
Redwing 10 -

Totals: 275 individuals, 13 species, 2:00 hours

Comments: Stratus Nebulosus breaking to heavy Stratocumulus. After another morning of persistent rain and hilltop mist, though abated wind, lunchtime brought something of a lull, with clear moorland and improving visibility out over the eastern plain. A two hour stint proved very interesting. From the off, Mipits were clearly on the move, having been held up in the last few days of atrocious conditions. There were also circa 50 Mipits blogging in the usual field (not counted in totals), which again, if repeated through lands to the north may mean Mipit movement not entirely over yet. Yet again, Crossbills in a single flock came by to the west , a handful of laggardly Swallows flew South close in at knee level and a single G S Woodpecker flew North East very high and fast. Clearly passage today indicates potential over the coming and hopefully improving weather days, not to mention winter thrushes - will there be a second Redwing push our way this time ? If not, I won`t say no to whatever may come later this week/weekend.
Howard

Counting period: 19:00-20:05
Weather: wind WNW2, WNW F2, QNH 1017 rising
Observers: Dave Barker

Redwing 2 -

Totals: 2 individuals, 1 species, 1:05 hours

Comments: A walk along the dark upland pasture lanes produced only two Redwing calls overhead tonight.... an improvement on the last two evenings, so at least they are on the move again.

Dave