This morning, unfortunately myself and Mathias slept a little over our alarm clocks. We opened a few nets later than normal and I had a walk around the windswept garden. I thought this morning would produce a few birds given the weather conditions overnight. However I failed to catch a new bird in 5 hours of trying. On my search around the garden, I heard a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and Willow Warblers and that's it really. A Spotted flycatcher was also seen but all birds stayed well away from the nets; presumably due to the 12+ M/s wind which swept through the place.

After a few hours failing to ring anything, I took down nets and cut back some brambles.Went bird watching at the point in the afternoon, 13:30 - 16:30. Migrants were

Sparrowhawk 4
Marsh Harrier 1
Honey Buzzard 1
Kestrel 3
SWIFT 4
Swallow 68
House Martin 17
Sand Martin 23
Sandwich Tern 18
Cormorant 15 (High-flying,over land)
Common Tern 2
Arctic Skua 1
Teal 1
Eider 26
Velvet Scoter 1 (adult male)

Resting birds.
Marsh Harrier, another Juvenile bird
Honey Buzzard, a returning bird which attempted to migrate with the other Honey Buzzard.
Whimbrel 2
Black-throated Diver (2 Adults, winter plumage)
Long-tailed Skua

Hopefully tomorrow is a little better for ringing, I'm on my own again now as Mathias left this morning. Thanks very much Mathias, you've been a great help around here and I hope you enjoyed your training, good luck with ringing and everything else in the future.

Blog Craig Brookes