Showing posts with label Phytophthora ramorum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phytophthora ramorum. Show all posts

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Keen As Mustard

Last night’s weather forecast was highly marginal for ringing, but being full of enthusiasm for more migrant thrushes Will and I met up at 0645 on Rawcliffe Moss, taking a chance that any early rain would clear quickly. Our optimism was somewhat misplaced and we spent an hour or more waiting for the drizzle to clear, the clouds to lift and a chance to open nets.

The 360 degrees overcast sky kept the thrushes back, with just small parties of Redwings and Fieldfares finding their way through the murk as dawn broke. We quickly caught six thrushes but had to close nets as rain closed in. The initial thrush movement totalled only 50+ Redwing, 35 Fieldfare, 12+ Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush and 1 Mistle Thrush. We caught finches later as the cloud broke from the west or headed north, but the corresponding increase in wind speed probably put a block on more migration through our immediate location.

Today’s new birds: 7 Goldfinch, 7 Chaffinch, 3 Redwing, 2 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush. We also recaptured 2 Goldfinches and a Robin.

Robin

Goldfinch


Redwing

Redwing

Blackbird

Song Thrush

“Birding” birds noted this morning in addition to the above mentioned thrushes: 20+ Siskin, 9 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Brambling, 80+ Chaffinch, 50+ Goldfinch, 10 Reed Bunting, 12 Alba wagtail, 20 Meadow Pipit, 8 Golden Plover, 8 Snipe, 800 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Magpie, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker.

The weather for the next three or four days doesn't look too good for either birding or ringing, but if there's half a chance watch this space for news and views.
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