Fuglekonge drift continues

After a 1000+ bird weekend we wondered what was in store for us today. It would be just the two of us so we had to plan which nets to use carefully. We needed to comply with standard conditions (at least 60 metres) but could not chance a huge catch of Fuglekonge (Goldcrest) as many were likely to rest over in the garden.

We eventually picked six nets that could be covered as a much reduced round. It included two of the nets that caught very well yesterday and totalled 63 net metres.

The first round was rather quiet, but the wind from the east is quite chill and Goldcrests are not the earliest birds out and about first thing in the morning.

As a precaution we took rings and pliers with us to the nets and that was a good thing as there seemed to be a whole new influx overnight. There were few retraps, and those we had mostly carried little fat and had low weights.

 Retrapped Fuglekonge / Goldcrest

We have also been noticing some rather paler Gransanger/ Chiffchaff than we have been seeing of late.

Gransanger / Chiffchaff

Our final total was a more than respectable 327 new birds. 

We have already been receiving reports of Danish Fuglekonge being retrapped further west. One        ( P20230 - not one of our current series) was retrapped at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire, UK this morning. Another, P99814 (also not ours), was caught on the 10th at VRS Van Lennep, Kennemerduinen in the Netherlands. We shall wait to see if we hear about any of our birds in the next few weeks.

Good birding!

Denise

Totals: 327 (37)

Gærdesmutte / Wren - 7
Rødhals / Robin - 24 (18)
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush - 1 (1)
Gransanger / Chiffchaff - 10
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest - 284 (17)

Musvit / Great Tit - 1 (1)