The Metcheck Jet Stream Chart which might help to explain the Redwing migration seen today!!
Overcast 8/8 mid am Peak Redwing time (c) 2007
Obscured Sunrise (c) 2007
Sorry about the first incomplete posting I dont know what happened there!!!!
0700 -1100hr (Dave Barker / Howard Creber)
N F3 singing NE F3 at c0930, 3degC rising 7degC, 60km max, 8/8, initial misting rain then dry, QNH 1025 steady.
The first bird of the day a Peregrine west was a good omen!...........A classic and typical morning of first front thrush arrival albeit very big and very early in the year. Between 0700 and 1100hrs a very minimal total of 3825 Redwings and at least 5 Fieldfare poured passed the watchpoint on a very broad front. The first birds started to be seen at 0720hr very high against the 8/8 low to medium cloud cover (ideal conditions for picking them up). Initially all were going west but after the wind swing into the NE at c0930hr the direction of travel also swung to the NW. Peak passage time was between 0830 and 0900hr when several flocks of c300 and 250 went by, most very high. As the morning progressed the flight level lowered and at times it was not as easy to pick up some of the groups when seen against the land horizon. The thrush movement was still continuing when we both had to leave at 1100hrs. In addition to the thrushes several parties of brambling were heard and then seen passing through and these were possibly part of the same move. A single Jay was picked up way out to the east, comming west and a Hobby picked up initially high to the north dropped down towards the water and almost overhead before passing straight on south. As of the last few days the decreasing trend of mipits and Swallows continued but the counts here might not be as complete as they should have been owing to us concentrating on the upper and distant skys for the thrushes. All in alll a TOP DAY.
Moving Birds:
Redwing 3825 > W and NW
Fieldfare 5 > W
Redpolls heard
Siskins heard
Starling 23 > W
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1> W
Peregrine 1 > W
Canada Goose 2 > NW
Greylag Goose 3 > NW
Pinkfoot Goose 3 > S
Snipe 5 > W
Goldfinch 30 > W
LBB Gull 2 > S
Chaffinch 24 > W
Brambling 8 > W
Swallow 22 > S
Greenfinch 4 > W
Meadow Pipit 89 > S
Alba wagtail 4 > S
Skylark 2 > W
Jay 1 > W
Golden Plover 11 > NW / S
Hobby 1 > S
Bullfinch 1
Kestrel 1
Song Thrush 1 > W
Mistle Thrush 6
Other:
viurtually nothing, almost everything was in the sky today!! Many distant small passerines remained unidentified and uncounted today.
Dave
PS Redwings still going over Wilsden W Yorks at 1530 hrs .... a group of 85 seen without trying!!
The sky at "packing up" time (c) 2007
