Another bright sunny day from first light until late afternoon which gave way to slight rain showers.
Early morning saw Woodpigeons coming over >S but in small numbers with several Meadow Pipits mixed in with them. By 0900 the Woodpigs had stopped moving but the Mipits continued on throughout the day right up until last light but in small groups of 4 to 6.
I kept searching the skies for Pinkies thinking that the weather was ideal but no joy until half way through my dinner HC rang with the call Id been waiting for " About 130 Pinkies heading for Queensbury from the SE." That was it, dinner gulped down in one, dogs in one hand and camera in the other a quick dash into the park just in time to hear them coming and then a sighting to the south of me heading SW towards the Calder Valley. Amazing, to me my most favourite sight in the birding world is to see and hear skeins of geese going over. This skein was later picked up over Calderdale with a count of 145.
Back at work after an exciting lunch break a call from DCB warning of good numbers of Fieldfares building moving west and soon after I started getting dribs and drabs and one good flock of about 60 so all in all a very pleasing day.
Many thanks Howard for the Pinkie warning, without which they,d have gone over unseen whilst I was jocking and same to Dave with the Fieldfares.
Whilst I was up the park at lunchtime Howard was also trying to direct me onto a Lancaster bomber over Yeadon but although I could see the control tower without optics to see the plane was asking a bit much from my ageing eyes.
This evening at Illingworth Morrisons the Pied Wagtail roost is building with up to 40 birds in the Laurels.
BS
