Fogged off

Setting the nets in the still twilight hour this morning, I was hopeful for some more birds. The night sky was clear and the moon illuminated the garden. Shortly after 5 am however, a thick mist rolled in and hung around almost all day; visibility was reduced (unlike previous days) and the brisk wind just didn't shift it.

34 Birds is all we ringed today

Sparrowhawk 2
Icterine Warbler 1
Redstart 1
Robin 1
Dunnock 1
Garden Warbler 2
Whitethroat 5
Lesser Whitethroat 5
Willow Warbler 10
Tree Pipit 1
Blackcap 2
Chiffchaff 3

Sparrowhawk 1cy female

Quite a quiet day compared with the last couple. Nice for Mathias, the trainee to get time for some hands on training.

During ringing we noted only few birds. An ad female type, Marsh Harrier, 28 Crossbills and several Yellow Wagtails were the best. In the afternoon we ventured to the tip, hopeful of a Skua repeat of yesterday.It didn't happen. In 3 hours, our best bird was an Arctic Tern.

We recorded as follows.

White-tailed Eagle 2 (Flying in off sea, resting and thermalling)
Sandwich Tern 22 (intent looking migrants), others were blogging too.
Dunlin 4
Grey Heron 1
SWALLOW 116
Goldeneye 3 birds North
Yellow Wagatail 22
Eider 17
Common Tern 4
Arctic Tern 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Herring Gull 5

Mathias was asleep throughout the watch, Gert drank Cider. Luckily nothing was happening as I was flying fully solo.