Sunday, March 06, 2011

Oxenhope.... pre breeding assemblies! 05/06-03-2011


Oystercatchers.... back on the upland fringes! (c) 2011


Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker... (c) 2011


Boeing C-17 Globemaster.... (c) 2011


Curlew pre breeding assembly... (c) 2011


Curlew pre breeding assembly... (c) 2011


Curlew pre breeding assembly... (c) 2011
1500-1730 Saturday 05 March
0945-1200 Sunday 06 March
1400-1700 Sunday 06 March

Bitter cold throughout with a light easterly. Oystercatchers back on the upland fringes. Traditional Curlew pre breeding assembly for the area still growing with much ariel activity between the fields, in-byes and ultimately the roost.... largest single flock 36 but smaller groups in the fields and coming in as well. Just three Golden Plovers seen on Sunday afternoon and Lapwings still assembling on the in-bye.
Out of interest, apart from a few drop outs over the last week, the first skein of Whoopers (57) observed passing through our region was noted at just before 1000hr this morning going NW up Wharfedale (Gordon Holmes). Four dropouts? on Ogden Water (Calderdale Birds) this morning just over the col south possibly suggested that a skein may have come our way as well?
A window of open sky late Sunday morning and during the afternoon allowed the first contrail watching of the year... sadly whilst open, the atmosphere was very disturbed thus unclear distorted images.
Dave