Arrived at Soil Hill at 1600 hrs with the intentions of doing a Twite check and on arrival near the feeding area I could see it was lively with small birds, Linnets, Skylarks and Mipits, so I got in a position where I could check them out, thats when it all started to happen.
Dark clouds were rolling over and the wind suddenly got up to a near gale force W>6 which scattered the birds in all directions for shelter.
Looking to the South over Calderdale a massive storm was moving >E with heavy rain clouds and some amazing fork lightening which I tried in vain to snap but with the big camera you can only hold it up so long before your arms ache and every time I lowered it down it flashed so in the end I gave up.
With watching over the valley I had,nt noticed a second storm approaching from the NW which was now almost over me with lightening and large spots of rain starting to fall.
Being a wise man I thought , being on the top of Soil Hill with a aluminium tripod like a giant lightening conductor is not the place to be, so it was down with the Nyjer seed and head for the car.
By the time I got to the car hailstones like frozen peas were pebble dashing me so it was head for home and leave the Twite to the weekday boys.
BS