Oxenhope... 2012-10-10

Snaps to follow when enough time!

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Wednesday 10 October 2012
Counting period: 6:50 - 12:00 &; 14:15 - 15:15
Weather (first period): wind SE1, cloud-cover 7/8, visibility 125000m, temperature 4 ℃, becoming SE F2, 8ok, 20000m pollution haze, 9degC, QNH 1017 falling 1015
Observers (first period): Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Rodney Procter

Moving Birds: 
Cormorant 1+   10
Woodpigeon 75 -
Chaffinch 3 -
Grey Heron - 2
Skylark 4 -
Brambling - 1
Pink-footed Goose - 70
Meadow Pipit 165 -
Greenfinch 14 -
Golden Plover 1 -
alba wagtail sp. 13 -
Goldfinch 16 -
Lapwing 45 -
Blackbird - 1
Siskin 5 -
Snipe - 1
Fieldfare - 1
Linnet 4 -
Curlew - 1
Redwing - 160
Lesser Redpoll 7 -
Black-headed Gull 3 -
Mistle Thrush - 19
Crossbill 4 -
Common Gull 5 -
Jay - 3
Reed Bunting - 8
Lesser Black-backed Gull 220 -
Jackdaw 12+ 103
Stock Dove 4 -
Starling - 16

Totals: 997 individuals, 31 species, 6:10 hours

Comments: Exceptional visibility initially with thin stratocumulus overdraw from the W (becoming stratus), leaving just the rising sun diameter window to the open sky over the North Sea. Immingham oil refineries and Grimsby tower clearly visible at sunrise. A further reduction in mipit numbers and pigeons very poor with starlings never getting going. However an obvious thrush arrival, albeit a narrow wave lasting less than an hour, with 11 flocks of high redwings passing NW, a single fieldfare call from on high closely followed by an unseen brambling(s). Redwings seen tumbling from the high sky into the wood on a couple of occasions, suggested they had, had enough. Otherwise noteable for a couple of grey herons on high approach from the far NE continued on and over into Lancashire... they looked very thin! Just one skein of pinks this morning, west this time, with direction fitting exactly with the conditions. A new watchpoint "on the deck" tick with a (one of three) Jay dropping from the sky to perch briefly on one of the posts right on the top of the hill, mid moor! Otherwise a very non-descript morning with horrendous widespread yellow pollution haze that you could taste advancing rapidly from the SE in the first hour... origin, certainly not local! Whilst typing this, Listening Station picking up on many redwing calls at all ranges overhead.... things are happening here now!!; PM No further Redwings noted.

Dave 

Oxenhope... 2012-10-09

Snaps to follow when enough time!

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Tuesday 9 October 2012    
Counting period: 6:30 - 14:15
Weather (first period): wind NE0, cloud-cover 0/8, visibility 40000m, temperature 0 ℃, HARD FROST, becoming light and very variable then E F2, 4ok, 40000m, 9degC, QNH1017 rising 1018 Observers (first period): Dave Barker, Howard Creber

Moving Birds; 
Cormorant 5 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 117 -
Blue Tit * 2 -
Pink-footed Goose * 480 -
Great Black-backed Gull 2 -
Magpie 2 -
Goosander 1 -
Woodpigeon 328 -
Jackdaw 4+   276
Sparrowhawk 1 -
Collared Dove 1+ 1
Starling - 31
Kestrel 1 -
Skylark 1 -
Chaffinch 15 -
Lapwing - 2
Meadow Pipit 235 -
Greenfinch 19 -
Curlew - 3
alba wagtail sp. 19 -
Goldfinch 11 -
Black-headed Gull 105 -
Redwing - 20
Siskin 1 -
Common Gull 1 -
Mistle Thrush 2 -
Reed Bunting 3 -

Totals: 1689 individuals, 27 species, 7:45 hours Present: Wren 1, Dunnock 1

Comments: Dramatic ground mist forming before sunrise. Haze not clearing throughout. Slow and gappy with most reducing but pinks interesting, all skeins low over the Pennine tops east from Lancashire but gaining very great height rapidly on the air as they left the moors on the eastern flank to vanish as hairs far out to the east. A couple of well spaced GBBG's south were very unusual as were two high Blue Tits SW. First Wren and Dunnock at the watchpoint.

Dave 

Oxenhope... 2012-10-08

Snaps to follow when enough time!

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Monday 8 October 2012
Counting period: 6:45 - 10:45 &; 12:45 - 13:15
Weather (first period): wind SE1, cloud-cover 8/8, visibility 5000m, temperature 4 ℃, becoming / continuing light and very variable F1, 9ok, mist deepening, 1500m, 6degC, QNH 1019 falling 1017 Observers (first period): Howard Creber, Lester Ward, Rod Procter  

Moving Birds:
Cormorant 4 -
Collared Dove 1 -
Jackdaw - 4
Pink-footed Goose - 300
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 -
Starling - 26
Goosander 1 -
Swallow 6 -
Chaffinch 18 -
Golden Plover - 3
House Martin 8 -
Greenfinch 6 -
Grey Plover - 1
Meadow Pipit 138 -
Goldfinch 13 -
Lapwing 8 -
alba wagtail sp. 16 -
Siskin 1 -
Snipe - 3
Redwing * 6 -
Linnet 4 -
Woodpigeon 47 -
Mistle Thrush * 32 -
Lesser Redpoll 5 -

Totals: 652 individuals, 24 species, 4:30 hours

Comments: SE F1 with murky conditions which progressively got worse as the morning wore on. No sign yet of any major winter thrush movement in our area. Most interesting sighting was a single flock of 30 Mistle Thrush, which came in high over the moors to the west and continued high out over the Bradford conurbation to the east till lost to view. A good range of finches today but very low numbers. A very clear Grey Plover was heard but unseen in the fog. Notably, very few Jackdaws in comparison to yesterday. Most spectacular sight was a single skein of circa 300 Pink Footed Geese which were heard on approach from the east, making a real cacophony, until they eventually "made their entrance" from low out of the gloom at eye height..... the skein had a massive head on it coming almost straight at us with waving tentacles streaming out behind, just like a giant squid...... They were visible for one minute before disappearing west towards Lancashire back into the murk. Viewing became almost impossible mid morning and the watch was terminated at 10.45. ; A further half hour was spent 12.45 hrs to 13.15 hrs, but no change in the fog and no birds.

Howard 

Oxenhope... 2012-10-07

Snaps to follow when enough thime!

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Sunday 7 October 2012
Counting period: 6:30 - 14:45
Weather: wind NE0, cloud-cover 0/8, visibility 65000m, temperature 2 ℃, HARD FROST, becoming light and variable often with CALM, 100000m then 65000, 12degC, QNH 1020 rising then ridging 1022
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Lester Ward, Rodney Procter, Chris King, Mick Cunningham, (Mark Doveston, briefly)

Moving Birds:
Cormorant 16 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 406 -
Jay - 5
Grey Heron - 1
Woodpigeon 706 -
Jackdaw 33+ 728
Pink-footed Goose 6+   325
Green Woodpecker 1 -
Rook 2 -
Greylag Goose 30 -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 -
Starling 14+   66
Goosander 23 -
Skylark 24 -
Chaffinch 36 -
Hen Harrier 1 -
Swallow 7 -
finch sp. 40 -
Sparrowhawk 5 -
Meadow Pipit 267 -
Greenfinch 12 -
Common Buzzard 8    
alba wagtail sp. 29 -
Goldfinch 42 -
Kestrel 1 -
Blackbird - 5
Siskin 24 -
Peregrine 2 -
Song Thrush - 4
Linnet 3 -
Golden Plover - 4
Redwing - 65
Twite 3 -
Lapwing - 89
Mistle Thrush - 11
Lesser Redpoll 12 -
Black-headed Gull 397 -
Coal Tit 1 -
Reed Bunting - 3
Common Gull 1 -
Blue Tit 1 -
Red Admiral 7 -

Totals: 3468 individuals, 42 species, 8:15 hours

Present: Yellow-legged Gull 1

Comments: Blackbirds and Song Thrushes in the air again at first light. Suspect Redwings however, evidenced by calls overhead in the night in continuing move from last evenings NW push and through the night leaving us with little visible again today (seven small very high flocks NW). A massive increase in Jackdaws on the continental track/mode and continuing on from yesterday. Woodpigeons, the first reasonable move of the season. But without doubt the best birds today werea Coal Tit overhead and a Blue Tit dropping from the sky to land on post at the watchpoint in the middile of the moor!.... followed closely by a ringtail, later tracked south by others out over Hebden Bridge. Pinks mainly west on the regular track with just a few east today. A little group of Twite, right overhead SE at the very end of the watch was very much worth waiting for... Buzzards drifting between SE and SW continued after we had left as advice from DJS over the hill confirmed yet more later, which wouyld have been nice.....

Dave 

Oxenhope.... 2012-10-06

Snaps to follow when enough time!

Oxenhope, Bradford (W Yorks, England)
Saturday 6 October 2012
Counting period: 6:40 - 17:20
Weather: wind SW2, cloud-cover 0/8, visibility 30000m, temperature 6 ℃, becoming W F2/3, 7ok, then 20k, 200m the 100000m, 12degC, QNH 1009 rising1013
Observers: Dave Barker, Howard Creber, Lester Ward

Moving Birds:
Cormorant 11 -
Sterna spec. * 1 -
Jackdaw * 16 + 109
Grey Heron - 2
Stock Dove - 5
Rook 1 -
Whooper Swan * 2 -
Woodpigeon 193 -
Raven 1 -
Pink-footed Goose * 208 -
Skylark * - 20
Starling - 34
Goosander 29 -
Swallow 167 -
Chaffinch 8 -
Hen Harrier * 1 -
House Martin 3 -
Brambling 4 -
Sparrowhawk 2 -
Meadow Pipit 1230 -
finch sp. 10 -
Common Buzzard * 4 -
alba wagtail sp. 19 -
Greenfinch 10 -
Kestrel 1 -
Wheatear 1 -
Goldfinch 156 -
Peregrine 1 -
B lackbird - 7
Siskin 9 -
Golden Plover 9 -
Song Thrush - 3
Linnet 6 -
Snipe * - 10
Redwing * - 112
Crossbill - 8
Black-headed Gull 26 -
Mistle Thrush - 2
Reed Bunting 1 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull 225 -
Turdus sp. - 3
bunting sp. 2 -
Sandwich Tern * - 2
Jay * - 26
Red Admiral 5 -

Totals: 2705 individuals, 45 species, 10:40 hours

Comments: Lots happening this morning. An obvious thrush arrival from before sunrise with Blackbirds, Song Thrush and Redwings in small numbers prominent with the first larger flock of the season very high NW. There could have been more but the deep blue open sky was very difficult to watch. Redwings didnt really develop til late afternoon when more v high small flocks began to be noted. Mips still strong and probably one of the swallow pushes. Albas poor with us this season included a stunning white on the deck at the watchpoint upon arrival which left high SE. Goosander south and high were good. Pigeons wth best to date and continental Starlings getting going. Jackdaws, the first real push of the season in the continental direction and mode. Two well spaced Sandwich Terns NW and two skeins of pinks east and the first Bramblings of the season. A ringtail was lost traveling far out to the SE.

Dave