Large numbers of meadow pipits were on the move during October. Photo: Brian Sumner ©
A short-eared owl was seen over fields by Prune Park, Allerton. Photo: Brian Sumner ©
The month was largely wet and windy with localised flooding, however, rainfall was well short of the total experienced in 2000.
The first day of October started with viz-mig in full swing. Huge numbers of birds were on the move, with over 800 Meadow Pipits seen moving south at TMR. Throughout the next few days, numbers were close to 1000, with waves of the birds, flying low and skimming the roof tops. At Kex Gill, flocks of passerines were arriving and moving through all morning and here a high of 119 Meadow Pipits were moving westwards. Leeshaw had a couple of Twite and in the Wharfe Valley four Red Kites with two juveniles were spotted together with a male Hen Harrier and a high of twelve Buzzards. On the 2nd a large flock of over 500 Starling and 300 plus Lapwing occupied the flooded fields around Silsden. Over at Fewston Reservoir, 43 Tufted Ducks had assembled and quartering the Prune Park fields was a Short-eared Owl. A member watching in Paul Clough reported a Ring Ouzel, which remained for at least two days. On the 8th, over 2000 Thrush species were counted flying high towards the north-west at TMR. Influxes of Blackbird, Jackdaw, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel were noted from this vantage point.
On the 9th Fieldfare and Redwing passage numbers had risen to over 4300 and at Denholme Clough good numbers of birds were counted included an influx of Song Thrush. On the 10th, Stockbridge had a Water Rail and a Buzzard was seen in a ploughed field by Hollins Hall, Baildon and Long-tailed Tits seemed to be everywhere. A Common Tern was seen, fishing, at Baildon Bridge on the 15th. By the 16th, 70 Teal were recorded on Silsden Floods and late Swallows were still being reported from around the region. Two Jack Snipe were seen on Soil Hill on the 17th and a couple of Snow Buntings were reported from Cold Edge Dams.
A male Hen Harrier was observed being mobbed by corvids on Rombalds Moor on the 19th. Throughout this period, moving Thrush numbers remained high, 3580 passed TMR heading SSE on the 22nd. At this spot, the next day, a surprise bird was a Slavonian Grebe, an adult moulting to winter plumage. The flooded meadows of Silsden produced four Whooper Swans (2 adult 2 immature), on the 24th, before they were disturbed by shooters and flew down the Aire Valley. The highlight of the 26th was a female Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker at OGP and a flock of over 400 Redwing. As the month drew to a close, over 700 Lapwing had taken up residence at Silsden Floods, and Wood Pigeons were congregating in ever increasing flocks with 1400 at OGP. On the final day, members were pleased to record that three Water Rail were showing well at Stockbridge.