Oxenhope... 2012-10-03

Five Images Copyright 2012 Howard Creber

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 3 October 2012
Counting period: 6:40-9:40
Weather: wind SW5, cloud-cover 5/8, precipitation rain, visibility 100000m, temperature 6 ℃, becoming SW F4 4ok, cumim 7ok at times, vis reduced in squalls, 9degC, QNH 998 rising 999
Observers: Howard Creber
 
Moving Birds:
Cormorant * - 5
Woodpigeon 14 -
Pink-footed Goose * - 5
Swallow 3 -
Merlin 1 -
Meadow Pipit 86 -
Snipe * - 3
alba wagtail sp. 2 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 26 -
Wheatear 2 -

Totals: 147 individuals, 10 species, 3:00 hours

Comments: SW F4 gusting 6. Clear out to Drax and Yorkshire Wolds. A steady procession of cunim cap coming in from the west, pounded the Aire Valley and beyond. Watchpoint just on edge of this advancing front. Very little movement due to conditions. No finches whatsoever seen or heard. Capitulated after 3 hrs. Most interesting bird of the morning was a bullet like Merlin, picked up low to the north and followed low south over the in-bye and up and over moor towards Calderdale. This bird could possibly have been an Icelandic migrant?, given its track and modus operandi.

Howard Creber