Oxenhope.... 2012-11-05

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Monday 5 November 2012
Counting period: 7:40 - 12:30
Weather: wind NW2, cloud-cover 0/8, visibility 65000m, temperature 0 ℃, FROST, becoming SW F1 then NW F2, 1ok, 6degC, QNH 1006 rising 1008
Observers: Dave Barker

Moving Birds:
Cormorant 1 -
Fieldfare 27+ 361
Whooper Swan * - 5
Starling - 17
Pink-footed Goose * - 54
Chaffinch 4 -
Woodpigeon 1849 -
Siskin 3 -
Meadow Pipit 5 -
Lesser Redpoll 4 -

Totals: 2330 individuals, 10 species, 4:50 hours

Comments: The most significant feature in the otherwise open sky this morning was from first light, a string of exceedingly distant but massive cunim tops, with the furthest in a direction just east of north. A check on the radar initially confirmed them to be extending south from a point some 80 miles east of the Tay/Forth estuaries (Scotland) over the North Sea. These gradually throuhout the morning tracked south. Wish the vis had been so sucessful as initial ground haze just about blocked vision to the pigeons for me, with after a little flurry, little else visible in the sky for some considerable time. Mid morning a few very high Fieldfare flocks NW began to appear, may have been more, but the open sky was so difficult to view. A single pink skein went NW as did a small Whooper skien just before lunch. Gulls not counted.

Dave