The promise of a rumble

A similar start to the last few days but shortly after dawn the wind switched round to the west and started to pick up bringing some cloud with it and for a short while, the promise of a storm with rumbling thunder getting closer and closer.....before it veered off to the north-west, brightened up and became another lovely, warm day!   Another similar morning ringing wise as well with 28 new birds caught - perhaps fewer birds than of late but really its pretty similar numbers, just minus the 15-20 Willow Warblers we were catching daily which seem to have stopped.
   There were some good birds in the total however including 2 Thrush Nightingales, another Red-breasted Flycatcher, 3 Common Rosefinches and 2 Icterine Warblers.   Other migrants consisted of a Wood Warbler, 2 Garden Warblers, 7 Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaffs, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Siskin.

If you squint and hold him up to the sun, there maybe some red coming through on the latest RBF!

Wood Warbler

The first Siskin to be caught since 3rd April was probably a failed breeder as she had a big brood patch just starting to dry out and go wrinkly!

 

There were a few other birds around the garden through the morning with a Golden Oriole calling before flying off over the station, a Hawfinch which dropped in briefly, a singing Redpoll and 2 late Bramblings.   A singing Marsh Warbler was the only bird of note at Kroghage in the afternoon.

Red Admiral