24-10-2013

No Birds were ringed on the 24th with very poor mist netting conditions from strengthening west south-westerly winds!

After a lazy morning to regain a little energy Rael and Hugh ventured to the tip to see if any birds were on the move and they were queitly suprised with the following hardy individuals observed braving the winds as they headed south:

Mute Swan 3 (south)

Bewick's Swan 4

Eider 501

Goldeneye 1

Tufted Duck 1

Common Scoter 11

Velvet Scoter 2

Red-breasted Merganser 10

Common Buzzard 5 ( 2in, 2 Blogging & 1 south)

Rough-legged Buzzard 1

Sparrowhawk 18

Knot 15

Woodpigeon 505

Stock Dove 21

Woodlark 2

Meadow Pipits 3

Loxia sp. 19

Common Crossbill 1

Greenfinch 52

Chaffinch 12

Goldfinch 100

Siskin 219

Twite 45  (20south + 25 Blogging) 

Linnet 75

Reed Bunting 9

Yellowhammer 4

Given the strong winds and sediment content in the sea, the local White-tailed Eagles we struggling to hunt. One individual even took a swoop at Gert on sighting his danish pastry and prized COKE ZERO!!!!

Jack headed to Gerts house to utilise his workshop facilities and made a start on a gull trap to be used in the forthcoming weeks and throughout the winter by the permanent GFU Team. 

Although it should be a lot more effective at catching gulls in harder weather conditions later on in the year we should stand a chance in the next three weeks given how tasty the danish baked goods are......that's if we don't beat the gulls to it first, we are SUGAR PIGS after all!

 Thanks for reading, Hugh, Rael and Jack