A good start to the morning with good numbers of Mipits coming over but by 0745 hrs this had dried up as well as at other watch points with very little of note after that.
This early move was probably due to blogging birds from yesterday which had stayed overnight feeding before moving off first light.
After a few raptor reports around the area as well as a Lapland Bunting over Oxenhope this morning I thought I,d better get up Soil Hill late afternoon for a bit of sky watching as well as a Snow Bunting check although the earliest I,ve had them on the hill is Nov 2nd.
Conditions were good with reasonable visibility and a favourable cold NE>4-5 , which boosts our chances of a Yellow Browed Warbler from the east coast.
Skies were fairly active mainly with gulls heading for Oxenhope but the tail end of a raptor move was apparent with 3 seperate Sparrowhawks very high and >SE followed by 2 Kestrels on the same route.
4 Golden Plover headed >SE well to the east of me whilst a low count of Mipits and Linnets headed >S.
Just after I arrived home at 1700 hrs I got a phone call from John Creber, brother of HC , saying he had just watched a Red Kite soaring over the Queensbury end of Swalesmoor which coincides with other raptor movement today, thanks for the call John.
Vis Mig
89 Meadow Pipit..................>S
4 Mistle Thrush....................>W
2 Blackbirds........................>SW
3 Sparrowhawk...................>SE
2 Kestrel..............................>SE
11 Linnet.............................>S
4 Golden Plover..................>SE
BS
WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING. BRIAN SUMNER. I am based at Queensbury and bird a patch within a 10 mile range of home incorporating 16 stretches of water, several plantations, a belt of woodland, stretches of river and canal and good areas of moorland. I specialize in upland birds, reservoir and sky watching. My local patch is Fly Flatts reservoir. Any reports can be sent by text or call to 07771 705024 or see profile for e mail address. All images on this blog are copyright.(2024).