3/11/2013 & 4/11/2013 AS SOON AS IT WAS IN IT WAS OTUS!

03/11/2013

No nets were opened during the 3rd due to yet more inclement weather and the only bird ringed throughout the entire day involved the Skylark mentioned in the last post that was caught during the early hours of the morning during the owl netting session.

Once the rain stopped migration counts were made at the tip between 12:00 & 15:00 hours and the following totals were made.

SV-South West
SØ-South East
TR-Migrating then Resting

BR-Female Type

FU- Foraging

S-South

TF-Migrating then Foraging

N-North

Ø-East 

OF-Overhead

NØ-North East
V-West

Red-throated Diver 5 SV

Mute Swan 7 SV

Wild Swan Sp. 6 S (most probably Bewick's)

Swan Sp. 2 S

Barnacle Goose c250 FU

Teal  10 SV

Mallard  9 FU

Mallard  5 SV

Gadwall 1 SV

Greater Scaup  1 SV

Eider  401 SV

Long-tailed Duck  13 SV

Common Scoter  105 SV

Red-breasted Merganser  19 SV

Sparrowhawk 34 S 

Kestrel 5 SV 

Kestrel 1 FU

Golden Plover 1 SV

Skylark 21 S

Skylark 12 FU 

Meadow Pipit 7 S

Meadow Pipit 2 FU

Mistle Thrush 127 SV/V

Fieldfare c1085 V 

Redwing 17 V  

Song Thrush 7 V

Jackdaw 35 V

Rook 11 SV 

Chaffinch/Brambling c250 SV

Brambling 136 SV

Chaffinch c220 SV

Greenfinch 168 S 

Greenfinch 6 TR

Goldfinch 16 FU

Goldfinch 43 S

Siskin  57 S

Linnet 84 S

Twite 13 FU

Twite 61 S

Bullfinch 1 S

Redpoll 5 S

Common Crossbill 12 SV

Snow Bunting 1 (U-turned (TR?))

Yellowhammer 2 S

Reed Bunting 4 S

Given that light was shocking during the 3rd for bird photography here is one of  Rael counting birds passing over the sea.

 04/11/2013

Sadly today was a complete wash out, with rain and wind practically all day causing us to hide inside and occasionally stare out of the window in the vain hope the weather would behave and allow for some bird watching but alas it didn't.  The rain finally came to a stop after it went dark and with managable winds Jack decided to get the Owl nets open.

Thus our new arrival for the rest of month, Barbara a ringer from Spain (quite literally a breath of fresh air given four fusty birdmen) arrived to songs of Tengmalm's Owl & Skylark and because Jack wanted to try something new Pygmy Owl tape made its autumn debut. The plan was only to have the nets open until around 11 pm but as luck would have it whilst closing the nets a Long-eared Owl was seen to escape the nets which was unfortunate but at the same time meant there was at least one in the garden. Jack and Lars stayed up late in an attempt to catch it or others but Sadly failed, although it's a hopeful sign that the birds might start coming again!