Oxenhope... 2012-10-13

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Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Saturday 13 October 2012
Counting period: 6:30-13:15
Weather: wind SSW2, cloud-cover 2/8, visibility 40000m, temperature 1 ℃, FROST, becoming CALM then W F2, gthen NW F2, 7ok, 50000m, 8degC, QNH 1003/1004 steady
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Chris King, Rodney Procter

Moving Birds:
Cormorant - 5
Skylark - 22
Raven 1 -
Goosander 2 -
Swallow 6 -
Starling 1+ 577
Sparrowhawk 2 -
Meadow Pipit 248 -
Chaffinch 72 -
Merlin 2 -
alba wagtail sp. 5 -
Brambling - 1
Peregrine 2 -
Blackbird - 4
finch sp. 44 -
Snipe - 12
Song Thrush - 2
Greenfinch 56 -
Black-headed Gull 105 -
Redwing - 1241
Goldfinch 37 -
Common Gull 10 -
Mistle Thrush - 8
Siskin 5 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 61 -
Jay - 78
Lesser Redpoll 2 -
Woodpigeon 86 -
Magpie - 2
Crossbill - 1
Collared Dove 1 -
Jackdaw 12+ 81
Reed Bunting 3 -

Totals: 2797 individuals, 33 species, 6:45 hours

Comments: Hard frost and almost calm with exceptionally clear sky. Vast areas of moor becoming bound and intertwined by mist and fog banks, but all below us so quite dramatic, brilliant and very helpful in allowing the birds to be picked up. No evidence of onward second day Redwing transmission at Oxenhope this am at all. Initially small scattered flocks low in all directions reorientating but soon, infrequent and large flocks v high in the sky all WNW started to come, looking very fresh and straight in to us. Otherwise a v good mip count for time of year, rapidly increasing starlings in moderate low squads on the continental track and for us a record jay count including a magnificent high train of 22 as well as loads of smaller groups all high and due north. One group of three was progressing thus when suddenly from below a merlin shot up and into the belly of the flock, they scattered and dropped like stones with merlin in persuit way below us and not to be seen again! Otherwise poor pigeons, and diversity down, conditions considered. Finches as expected strong for us. Masses of gulls now out of both near and distant roosts first thing, so that only a short period able to count them now but perhaps many more on the move than recorded today.

Dave