"Na then - thats moor like it" - Todays Notebook (showing party sizes) - Click over to enlarge"Visible Bird Migration - Tuesday October 4th 2011.
Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0700hrs - 1030hrs
Wind: W25mph and gusting to 30mph and swinging to NW.
Movement: S-SW
With such strong winds, the movement did not seem to get going at first, although in the far distant SE to where I was and to the rear of Kelker Well and the Rocky area where mountain climbers come on Hutton Roof, I could see the birds (mainly) Mipits piling out of the valleys below and then sort of ascending up the sides of Hutton Roof and over. So at 0800hrs (already missed the vital hour) I quickly traversed the path for several hundred yards until I could get a partial good vantage of what was happening, and they where at that point coming up and over my head in parties of between 20 and 30, most where about 22-25 and this seem to be going on the full breadth of the remainder of the East side of HR. I will certainly be going there for the next couple of days. Sadly when you move over, something has to lose out and in my case it will be the Chaffinch (and other finches). But I must check out whats going on with these Mipits.
When things slackened off at 0930hrs (like turning the tap off), I walked along the full stretch to the Mountain climbers area and that was more or less where the Mipit move finished off and the topography tapers down, but here they where still going through in trickles of parties up to 6. I seem to think that birds where not only coming down the Farleton side, but also across from Lupton and also possibly the other valley which lies further back (Sedbergh-Barbon- Areas to my NE). and all birds where heading in the direction of S as though towards the turbines at Caton.
It will certainly be interesting what turns up (if anything) during the next few days. Never had Mipits in these sort of numbers before (at HR), usually to a max c700 at peak times.
Meadow Pipits: 1004 S/SW (best parties: 40,30, lots at 22, 20, etc)
Chaffinch: 146,
Starling: 8E
Goldfinch: 59 (best parties at 8)
Swallow: 3 (almost touching the ground like mice or albas)
Linnet: 11 (one party 10)
Alba Wagtail: 11
Woodpigeon: 18E
Greenfinch: 5W
Mistle Thrush: 4
Siskin: 12
Redpoll: 8
Bullfinch: 2
Crossbill: 2 (party missed)
Skylark: 1
Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0700hrs - 1030hrs
Wind: W25mph and gusting to 30mph and swinging to NW.
Movement: S-SW
With such strong winds, the movement did not seem to get going at first, although in the far distant SE to where I was and to the rear of Kelker Well and the Rocky area where mountain climbers come on Hutton Roof, I could see the birds (mainly) Mipits piling out of the valleys below and then sort of ascending up the sides of Hutton Roof and over. So at 0800hrs (already missed the vital hour) I quickly traversed the path for several hundred yards until I could get a partial good vantage of what was happening, and they where at that point coming up and over my head in parties of between 20 and 30, most where about 22-25 and this seem to be going on the full breadth of the remainder of the East side of HR. I will certainly be going there for the next couple of days. Sadly when you move over, something has to lose out and in my case it will be the Chaffinch (and other finches). But I must check out whats going on with these Mipits.
When things slackened off at 0930hrs (like turning the tap off), I walked along the full stretch to the Mountain climbers area and that was more or less where the Mipit move finished off and the topography tapers down, but here they where still going through in trickles of parties up to 6. I seem to think that birds where not only coming down the Farleton side, but also across from Lupton and also possibly the other valley which lies further back (Sedbergh-Barbon- Areas to my NE). and all birds where heading in the direction of S as though towards the turbines at Caton.
It will certainly be interesting what turns up (if anything) during the next few days. Never had Mipits in these sort of numbers before (at HR), usually to a max c700 at peak times.
Meadow Pipits: 1004 S/SW (best parties: 40,30, lots at 22, 20, etc)
Chaffinch: 146,
Starling: 8E
Goldfinch: 59 (best parties at 8)
Swallow: 3 (almost touching the ground like mice or albas)
Linnet: 11 (one party 10)
Alba Wagtail: 11
Woodpigeon: 18E
Greenfinch: 5W
Mistle Thrush: 4
Siskin: 12
Redpoll: 8
Bullfinch: 2
Crossbill: 2 (party missed)
Skylark: 1
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