Wind is down, nets are up, birds are out

Frost covers the ground after a clear, cold night

It was a very cold morning putting the nets up today, and eerily quiet; the wind was down for the first time in the past week and so the ocean was calm and the trees were still. This signaled a good day of ringing, and I wasn't disappointed. It was a busy start, ringing 35 birds before 8:15 am - mostly Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Chiffchaffs as well as a Reed Bunting and a Starling (two new species for me). After this the activity slowed down considerably, and I mostly caught Goldcrests among a couple of Chaffinches and a Greenfinch. Altogether 43 birds of 12 species were ringed and 5 retraps were caught - a good morning of ringing!

The female Reed Bunting ringed this morning

Breakdown 04/04/2015:

Dunnock - 8
Robin - 3
Wren - 1
Great Tit - 1
Reed Bunting - 1
Chaffinch - 2
Greenfinch - 1
Blackbird - 5
Starling - 1
Song Thrush - 2
Chiffchaff - 6
Goldcrest - 11
TOTAL = 43


Lizzy Joyce