so a low exposure and a high iso.
A very icy drive to Fly Flatts this morning at 1 degree on a W>3 with 50 % cloud cover and sunshine though the west wind kept bringing banks of mist over the moor.
First sighting this morning was 2 birds over the water which were a Woodpigeon closely pursued by a Peregrine. The Peregrine was moving super fast but the Woodpig out smarted it by dropping down in the long grass and keeping there whilst the Pere got fed up after sitting on the fence post before giving up on the idea.
I had about half a minute to capture this but by the time I,d realized what was happening the Woodpig had already dropped down.
After that things were steady with the normal species apart from several Common gulls in the top field which are a bit of a rarity for that area.
Late afternoon and the wind increased to SW>4 which had cleared the mist but left it very hazy to the south as the sun went down.
A Great Black Backed gull over the wind farm was the highlight until 1524 hrs and I was ready for tackling up when a scan to the south picked up a skein of Pink Footed geese but well to the south of me probably over Mount Tabor or beyond. Little did I know that this was the start of something big although I had a report from Beacon Hill Halifax this morning PS and Batley this afternoon AO of Pinks moving.
It was,nt long before 2 more skeins followed on and then the flood gates opened with report after report from Calderdale with several skeins all heading >W. By darkness around 1100 Pinks had gone through and although this is not a big count for moving Pinks its a good count for trans Pennine geese moving from the east coast to the west coast.
The rundown
Beacon Hill Halifax PS 32
Batley AO est 100 no figure give so guessed as average skein
Northowram AC 50 Plus a duplicate of 230 SBs birds
Skircoat SB 230 and a second skein similar 230
Halifax town centre DB 100 no figure given so guessed as average skein
Bradshaw JL Described as massive skein but time puts them as SBs 230 skein
Norton Tower PG 140
Fly Flatts BS 85, 120, 15
Queensbury towards Ogden BS 52
Don,t think I,ve missed any.
Thanks to all contributors for a good team effort
Fly Flatts
1 Peregrine
1 Woodpigeon
1 Raven
2 Carrion Crow
2 Kestrel
1 GBB gull...................>NE
1 LBB gull....................>N
6 Herring gull...............>SW
18 Common gull........on deck
220 Pink Footed Goose.......>W 3 skeins 85, 120, 15.
Sounds like its hold onto your hats tomorrow with gale force south westerlies.
BS