Oxenhope.... 2012-10-28

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Sunday 28 October 2012
Counting period: 8:15 - 15:00
Count type: incomplete species list, not all species submitted
Weather: wind West3, cloud-cover 8/8, precipitation rain, visibility 10000m, temperature 7 ℃, becoming variable W or SW F 3 - 5 and gusting more, 65000m max, rain becoming established again pm, QNH 1011 falling 1006
Observers: Dave Barker

Moving Birds:
Black-headed Gull 25 -
Fieldfare - 56
Common Gull 101 -
Redwing - 6
Lesser Black-backed Gull 36 -
Starling - 3333
Herring Gull 11 -
Brambling - 9
Meadow Pipit 2 - f
inch sp. - 53

Totals: 3632 individuals, 10 species, 6:45 hours

Comments: Only came out for a short stay today but mind soon changed despite the conditions. Varied watchpoints as weather permitted and continued at high point after early lunch, taking shelter as the weather was closing down again. Starlings after a virtual blank here yesterday in urgent all day move, and very unusually all continental directions open today, from SW, through W round to N (not split). Some of the SW and W ones much high than the norm and in quite big flocks. Otherwise a big influx of Common Gulls and Herring Gulls, uncommon here were well represented. Time spent concentrating on Starlings at the expense of other species, missed, undercounted, omitted or lumped in unideal conditions but two small groups of Brambling were distinct. Little thrush movement over the hills or in the sky now but lots appearing more settled lower down.

Dave