Beautifully clear evening on the moor, between 19:00 and 19:45, though with a biting 'nor' easter'. Here is what I encountered:
3 wheatear (2f and 1m, m showing Greenland characteristics), a few skylarks and meadow pipits, golden plover, over, crossing the watershed into the West Riding, heading NE for Rishworth Moor and a peregrine low over the moor, also heading NE.
Did about 1/2 mile past trig point and back, gave it a good coat of looking at.
Set off in sunshine .... walked back in a hail storm ..... got back to car and sun came out again. Typical !
Curlew 8. Three pair and two singles. Skylark. 20+ Meadow Pipit. 10+ Carrion Crow. Surprisingly only the one. Golden Plover ........ heard whistle only. Pied Wagtail pair in the lay-by.
Roger.
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Lovely eve' on the moor again, with a refreshing westerly breeze..... but no dotterel. However, I did see:
lots and skylarks and meadow pipits, a curlew, male, 'Greenland-type' wheatear and best of all, a red grouse, well on the Milnrow side of the border.
There has been much moorland regeneration work been done up here of late, with lots of heather brash spread across the peat hags. If it takes, perhaps there will be more red grouse in years to come.
A visit this aft' between 15:30 and 16:15, in bright and breezy conditions (SE wind) produced 4 - 5 golden plover, a few skylarks and meadow pipits and a single wheatear.
Hi Chris I'm keenly awaiting your every report for Dotterel sightings - keep up the good work! Cheers, Martyn
Thanks Martyn. It's nice to know my efforts are appreciated! I'm going to nip up tomorrow. The passage golden plover the other night have given me a new lease of life, so fingers crossed.
Regards, Chris J-B.
-- Edited by C Brown on Thursday 24th of April 2014 04:20:06 PM
Two red grouse (unusually for Axletree, well inside the Milnrow border), a couple of meadow pipits and best of all a very skittish party of 10 golden plover, at least three of which showed clear, 'northern-type' characteristics. They were real belters.
Just got in from a chilly, if pleasant evening stroll on the moor, with not much to report really:
2 wheatear, couple of meadow pipits, lone singing skylark, pair of golden plover and five lesser black-backed gulls that flew over the watershed from the east.
May Day 19:00 to 19:30: On my second visit of the 2012 dotterel season, nowt, save for a rather harassed looking wheatear, that the easterly gale had blasted in from the West Riding. It looks like it could be heading for the third year in a row with no dotterel. Despite the high winds and drifting moorgrime, it was strangely invigorating up here.
Regards, C. B
-- Edited by C Brown on Tuesday 1st of May 2012 08:11:24 PM
A balmy 3 degrees C at 7.20 this morning - which felt even colder in the very brisk wind! 7 Wheatear, 3 Skylark and 1 Meadow Pipit but no Dotterel - looks like being a blank year?
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Friday 7th of May 2010 12:55:40 PM
Visit 10.40 to 11.40 - low cloud/driving drizzle drifting in and out - visibility at times almost non-existent. Some good upland birds but not the intended quarry!
I can never remember if Dotterel are supposed to move on the New or the Full Moon, but if it's the latter that's on Wednesday night. (and before Messers Potter & Rigby ask 'yes but I'm alright nooowwwww')
I don't know if your notes include weather for preceding days or not Bill, butI remember Riggers & I noticing a correlation between wet weather and the birds' arrival on at least two previous occasions
You have never been alright!!!!!
True, 50% of me has always been left
Wetter weather forecast for Weds & Thursday, Bill
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 27th of April 2010 10:11:48 PM
I can never remember if Dotterel are supposed to move on the New or the Full Moon, but if it's the latter that's on Wednesday night. (and before Messers Potter & Rigby ask 'yes but I'm alright nooowwwww')
I don't know if your notes include weather for preceding days or not Bill, butI remember Riggers & I noticing a correlation between wet weather and the birds' arrival on at least two previous occasions
I can never remember if Dotterel are supposed to move on the New or the Full Moon, but if it's the latter that's on Wednesday night. (and before Messers Potter & Rigby ask 'yes but I'm alright nooowwwww')
I don't know if your notes include weather for preceding days or not Bill, butI remember Riggers & I noticing a correlation between wet weather and the birds' arrival on at least two previous occasions
Thanks for that interesting info on moon phases Mike. In 2009 the weather prior to the 26th had been pretty settled - not too dissimilar from what we have had so far in April this year, although the 26th was wetter and the birds were found in decent weather conditions on the following day 27th. The birds in 2008 were found in very poor weather conditions and the run up to the finding date (28th) date, from what I can recall, had been quite similar. Reading Paul Heaton's report in the 2006 county bird report I think they were also found in unsettled weather conditions on 30th April of that year.
I can never remember if Dotterel are supposed to move on the New or the Full Moon, but if it's the latter that's on Wednesday night. (and before Messers Potter & Rigby ask 'yes but I'm alright nooowwwww')
I don't know if your notes include weather for preceding days or not Bill, butI remember Riggers & I noticing a correlation between wet weather and the birds' arrival on at least two previous occasions
I did the 7.20am to 8.10am shift this morning. No sign of any Dotterel........just yet! For info - first sighting last year was 27/4 and the year before (2008) was 28/4. The record from 2006 was on 30/4.
Also 2 Ravens, 1 Curlew and 1 Swallow over.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 25th of April 2010 03:41:22 PM
- looks like being a blank year? 
)
- first sighting last year was 27/4 and the year before (2008) was 28/4. The record from 2006 was on 30/4.