Oxenhope 05-11-2008

0800 - 0830hr HC
NNE F2/3, 6degC, Fog stratus 8/8, QNH 1022 rising.

Pretty much same story as yesterday - Oxenhope fogged off. Just a couple of hundred feet lower at Trough Lane, had single party of 9 Redwings and 10 Fieldfare moving NW at 09.00 hrs and 9 Starlings through. Male Stonechat near the "corner house".

At Penistone Hill,Oxenhope, 52 Starlings in 3 parties went NW mid morning. Female Stonechat on the moor.

Of interest, Gordon Holmes has had 5 blogging Swallows at Dowley Gap, Bingley, this morning. The now deceased Two Barred Crossbill in Oakworth was a good un wern`t it !!

Howard Creber

Caldene Fields Watchpoint 05-11-2008

Caldene Fields, Low Moor, Bradford.
Two directional movement of Starling

5th November 08 Watch 07.00 – 08.30hr
Weather: A damp start with 90% heavy low cloud creating very dull gloomy conditions. A F2 N/N/E wind and a temp of 7c. Low mist and cloud gave a visibility to only 4 miles. These conditions remained throughout the watch.

Comments: alba wagtails were still moving mainly to the N/E and there was an increase in Starlings moving which in the main were to the S/W over the Wyke area and west directly over Caldene Fields. I noticed this distinct two-direction pattern on the 30th/31st of October 08, raising the question are these birds coming from two different areas of Europe?
I dipped on a ‘possible’ high flying Snow Bunting at 08.22hr flying S which gave just a single call.

Moving Birds:
Black Headed Gull > 2/W
alba wagtail > 3 S + 28 N/E
Starling > 127 W + 325 S/W = 452
Skylark > 1 S
Fieldfare > 73 S + 2 N/W = 75
Redwing > 51 S
Carrion Crow > 5 S + 4 W/N/W = 9
Chaffinch > 3 W
Greenfinch > 15 S/S/W
Goldfinch > 4 W + 17 S = 21

Martyn Priestley