Oxenhope... 2012-09-09

Fifteen Images all Copyright 2012

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Sunday 9 September 2012
Counting period: 5:50-12:45 Weather: wind South2, cloud-cover 0/8, visibility 45000m, temperature 8 ℃, becoming S F3, 0ok ultimately S F6, 6ok cirrostratus, 23degC, visibility becoming milky, QNH1011 falling 1006
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Rodney Procter, Sue W, (Mark Doveston briefly)

Moving Birds:
Cormorant 5 -
Knot - 3
Swallow 542 -
Grey Heron 1 -
Snipe - 21
House Martin 31 -
Shelduck - 1
Curlew - 3
Tree Pipit 1 -
Wigeon - 5
Black-headed Gull 652 -
Meadow Pipit 509 -
Teal - 1
Common Gull 10 -
Grey Wagtail 1 -
Common Scoter - 15
Lesser Black-backed Gull 472 -
alba wagtail sp. 3 -
Goosander - 5
Herring Gull 1 -
Mistle Thrush 1 -
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Stock Dove 2 -
Chaffinch 3 -
Common Buzzard 2 -
Collared Dove 1 -
Greenfinch 1 -
Kestrel 1 -
Green Woodpecker 1 -
Goldfinch 18 -
Merlin 1 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 -
Siskin 14 -
Ringed Plover 1 -
Skylark 1 -
Lapwing 9 -
Sand Martin 1 -

Totals: 2342 individuals, 37 species, 6:55 hours

Present: Robin 2, Wheatear 1, Willow Warbler 1

Comments: Total CALM and warm when leaving home at 0530 just a few miles east of the watchpoint and a couple of hundred feet lower. At the watchpoint under the influence of the approacing depression and cooler air associated in transition. Soon warmed up however after sunrise with birds moving with a very much front weighted watch. Mips and swallows moving strongly south, with mipits soon falling off but Swallows keeping stong and becoming high. A pronounced, by direction, trans-pennine wildfowl move with Scoters, Wigeon, a teal and goosanders all W or NW and quite soon. A Shelduck came from the high east with long decline, to land on the water mid am. Three land hugging Knot also very early on NW and an unseen calling Ringed Plover. A magnificent Snipe flock 19 strong very high over Airedale went out into Lancs over the col. G spots S and W. Siskins again on the air very strong south and throughout the watch, few were seen as again exceptionally high and again a signicant undercount. Gulls again phenomenal and all constantly streaming and broadfronting south, more than yesterday but today only counted for three hours and then we had to give up. Vast majority of adult lessers seen in good light appered to be charcoal backs. All in all a diverse and exceptionally exhilarating morning curtailed only by the strenthening wind with closing skies associated.

Dave