Oxenhope.... 2012-10-27

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Saturday 27 October 2012
Counting period: 7:40 - 12:00
Weather: wind North3, cloud-cover 0/8, visibility 100000m, temperature 0 ℃, HARD FROST and ICE, becoming -1, v cold but quite pleasant lover down, watcpoint under influence of upper wind, N F6 gusting F8 at times, hard ice still on cars even at 0930hr, 1 degC. QNH 1018 rising 1021 Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Rodney Procter, Brian Vickers

Moving Birds:
Goosander 30 -
Meadow Pipit 1 -
Golden Plover 19 -
Fieldfare 28 -
Black-headed Gull 6 -
Starling - 30
Lesser Black-backed Gull 19 -
Goldfinch 8 -
Woodpigeon 68 -
Reed Bunting 1 -

Totals: 210 individuals, 10 species, 4:20 hours

Comments: Initially, brilliant coast to coast open skies but with many dramatic deep cunims out over the North Sea. Very searching conditions (totally different a bit lower down), thus with the last hour spent at the low watchpoint. Very little of the expected usual passage but a late morning skein of goosanders south were good and included the first "whites" of the season. Also several small flocks of goldies south. Nothing deemed as moving at the low point today. Gulls moving well out further east but beyond the normal counting range.

Dave