Giga Ganzen! 2013-01-05

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Oxenhope 2013-01-05

A tremendous day with geese to the fore throughout.

Thanks for the Barnacles go to sharp eyed Danny for finding them and Brian Sumner for the grapevine message..... Originally thought to be 35, we got 37 (DCB, HC, RHP) thinking we hadn't got them all owing the to complex folds in the ground and BS later confirmed 44 after they had moved into a more favourable position..... We also had a group of pinks dropping in to stay and feed for a while....... however these local Barnacle mega's were dwarfed by the magnitude of pink passage, first noted late am, to continue right through til last light.

Summation of my (HC) Pinkies, all directly over Oxenhope, is :- circa 300 NW - 14.15 hrs circa 300 NW - 14.25 hrs circa 750 NW - 14.35 hrs ( this was a multi chevroned skein - spectacular ) circa 120 NW - 14.45 hrs 12 NW - 15.15 hrs ( directly over house ) All birds flying way up above cloud base and viewed only because of good breaks in cloud cover. HC.

Pinkfeet going very similar here and mine (DCB) right up to dusk. I probably missed some early ones tho as I didn't start as early as you. First the ones to add to your oxenhope totals are the 27 that you rang us about, the 7 that dropped out and came in whilst we were all there and the 45 that went over as I was leaving. Mine a: 230, 290, 300, 160, 420, 7, 29........ With the last theee skeins just before dusk. Perhaps missed some before this as came in thinking they were done, then had those whilst out on walk...... Hoping for a nocturnal skein and recording now but nothing yet, but could have got some fantastic recordings this pm if mic had been on then as a couple of skeins right over head. Most of mine travelling NNW and thus would have come nowhere near you in Oxenhope village Howard.

Skeins also over Esholt and Wharfedale in the afternoon (LW). 

Dave