Oxenhope.... 2012-10-22

Snaps to follow:

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Monday 22 October 2012
Counting period: 6:55 - 16:30
Weather: wind NE3, cloud-cover 8/8, precipitation drizzle, visibility 100m, temperature 7 ℃, becoming NE F1 to 3, 9ok throughout 100 - 3000m FOG and MIST, 10degC, QNH 1022 rising 1024 Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber

Moving Birds: 
Fieldfare - 786
Redwing - 1343

Totals: 2129 individuals, 2 species, 9:35 hours

Comments: Full details later, only thrushes counted today during visits to all of our Oxenhope watchpoints to find the "sweet spot (s)", but fogged at high level. Blackbirds and Song Thrush in evidence but only on the deck. Travel direction NW or W....

upon waking, 0400hrs saw a significant increase in Redwing call rate on the Listening Station since last evening, unusual cause it doesnt normally go that way here and a further increase before turning off 90mins later and going straight out. Once at the watchpoint, well above the cloudbase, and long before light, obvious that thrushes in top gear with Redwings whistling past like express trains and the occasional scream of FF all just over head, but could see none. So with arrival to confirm, down to our lower arrival mistroutes below the cloudbase, initially with mixed fortune as either still fogged or far too noisy as cloudbase down to 500ft and below, took us far too low but small thrush flocks noted at most. A new spot just below the base was ideal, with several large mixed/pure and small flocks in between immediately upon getting out of the car. This worked for a while till the cloudbase lifted, freeing the stream, and then dried up. So back higher again and more found streaming again, and thus the day was spent as the normal watchpoint was fogged throughout. Interesting that flocks coming up the higher valleys, just ploughed forward into the cloudbase up the cloughs as they ran out of visibility, not to be seen again. All in all, a very exciting day, compounding on our findings last year in similar conditions.

Dave