I must say these early starts don’t get any easier, particularly after a winter respite of 8 a.m. beginnings; but if the birds want worms and the ringers want birds, they both must make the effort and get out of bed early.
I met Will at 0615 on Rawcliffe Moss to a red sky in the east and the usual glow of optimism and anticipation that ringers possess in abundance. It was a very quiet session of ringing with very little grounded, but as is often the case, enough to keep us interested and occupied for four hours with a dribble of visible migration that added to the ringing. In the nets it was a slowly, slowly two birds an hour with only five new and four retraps, although we did catch our first Willow Warbler of the year. Other birds: Reed Bunting 4, Dunnock 2, Blue Tit 2 – I said it was quiet. One Reed Bunting provided us with a good example of an adult’s spring tail shape and condition.
Dawn Pheasant
Willow Warbler
Willow Warbler
Reed Bunting Tail-Adult
Reed Bunting
Blue Tit
Visible migration, all south to north this morning came as 22 Redpoll, 2 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow and 8+ Meadow Pipit. “Other” birds seen and heard but not directly attributable to today’s migration included another 5 Willow Warbler, 28 Curlew, 7 Linnet, 6 Goldfinch, I Sparrowhawk , 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel , 3 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 6 Corn Bunting and 4 Skylark, with perhaps the surprise bird of the morning, a Greenshank. The latter noisily circled the steep sided wildfowler’s pool before realising it was too deep to linger before heading off north again.
The Sparrowhawk picture is dedicated to Will who doesn’t believe that Sparrowhawks ever do anything but fly over, round or through mist net rides and probably only after the nets have been taken down.
Greenshank
Sparrowhawk
I met Will at 0615 on Rawcliffe Moss to a red sky in the east and the usual glow of optimism and anticipation that ringers possess in abundance. It was a very quiet session of ringing with very little grounded, but as is often the case, enough to keep us interested and occupied for four hours with a dribble of visible migration that added to the ringing. In the nets it was a slowly, slowly two birds an hour with only five new and four retraps, although we did catch our first Willow Warbler of the year. Other birds: Reed Bunting 4, Dunnock 2, Blue Tit 2 – I said it was quiet. One Reed Bunting provided us with a good example of an adult’s spring tail shape and condition.
Visible migration, all south to north this morning came as 22 Redpoll, 2 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow and 8+ Meadow Pipit. “Other” birds seen and heard but not directly attributable to today’s migration included another 5 Willow Warbler, 28 Curlew, 7 Linnet, 6 Goldfinch, I Sparrowhawk , 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel , 3 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 6 Corn Bunting and 4 Skylark, with perhaps the surprise bird of the morning, a Greenshank. The latter noisily circled the steep sided wildfowler’s pool before realising it was too deep to linger before heading off north again.
The Sparrowhawk picture is dedicated to Will who doesn’t believe that Sparrowhawks ever do anything but fly over, round or through mist net rides and probably only after the nets have been taken down.
4 comments:
The Sparrowhawk....if looks could kill!
I did get up at 6.30 yesterday morning Phil so still have an idea what it's like on more rare occasions these day's but wouldn't return to the milk round days at 4.30 for £500+ a week thanks very much.
They are beautiful
Great photos for Camera Critter day. I posted some bird photos too.
Awesome photos, what a wonderful thing to be part of.
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