Tuesday, October 03, 2017

Pink-footed Geese - update

What a day for those of us who had the opportunity and the good fortune to continue with the bonanza of 'pinks' still moving >W and >NW over Calderdale from this morning.

The birds were obviously struggling against the gusting westerly winds and skeins were getting split up and struggling to catch up with the leaders. It's amazing the in-built urge to keep moving even when conditions are far from perfect. In one instance this afternoon a flock of 40 came down to rest on Warley Moor between Slade (opposite the wind-farm) and the Rocking Stone. Despite other flocks passing overhead they were not interested in moving on !

With thanks to AC, DF, MS, VJ et al for the frequent updates from Northowram, Jay House Lane - Clifton, Highroad Well and Warley Moor/Fly Flatts.
The total for the day (thanks partly to photographic counts) and discounting duplications comes to 1,726 though with such a big movement of birds it's likely that other skeins were missed. Some may well still be going over during the night and maybe into tomorrow. (?)

3 comments:

AndyC said...

Well done Dave,, a real day..Whoopers tomorrow.

Brian Sumner . said...

Good account Dave, should be more to come then the trans pennine birds.

Matt Bell said...

I caught 4 skeins at Jumble Hole the same day, but coincided with texts from Fly Flats so are not new birds. One group barely missed the chimney struggling past in the wind at very low level.