The car headed east towards the hills of Oakenclough where I was meeting Andy for my first ringing session since returning from holiday in Lanzarote. There was a slight frost with both clear skies and the radio forecast promising a sunny day ahead.
Andy had managed a successful catch of 40 birds in between bouts of wind, rain and mild temperatures before the frost and snow of late January; today would be our first opportunity to gauge the effect of a week or more of colder weather.
Our four hours proved to be rather slow in both activity and numbers caught whereby we speculated that birds had moved from this high ground location to more urban locations a mile or three away where the temperatures would be more to their liking.
We caught just 25 birds, 21 new ones and 4 recaptures, figures which support the idea of birds moving away from the site if only temporarily.
New birds: 8 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, 3 Chaffinch and singles each of Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll, Coal Tit and Robin. Recaptures: 2 Chaffinch and 1 each of Robin and Coal Tit.
Lesser Redpoll - first winter female
Chaffinch - first winter female
The slow ringing left time to find a number of birds in and around the site.
Brief but proper sightings of both female and male Sparrowhawk leaving the same stretch of woodland suggests a pair close by in coming weeks. A pair of Ravens flew overhead croaking as they went. A pair of Pied Wagtails stuck close together on a nearby roof, and on the neighbouring reservoir, 400 Greylags, 60+ Mallard, 7 Tufted Duck and 5 Cormorant.
In the woodland 10+ Chaffinch, 3+ Siskin and 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker.
Greylag
Cormorant
There’s more birding, ringing or photography or Lanzarote soon on Another Bird Blog.
10 comments:
sweet little redpoll!
Hi Phil!!! Thanks for visiting my blog, MammothLakesDP!!! I looked back over my vacation blog and couldn't find any pics of Lanzarote. When we moved to Mammoth and I started the Daily blog, I got away from posting vacation shots!!! I might go back around and post bits and pieces, including Lanzarote at
TheChieftess.blogspot.com..but not for awhile...probably in a month or two...we're still unpacking boxes...I think they multiply in the night!!!
Hello there,
Finally catching up. Life has been quite busy here. Great ringing collection. I see the beginnings of spring in the air. I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad:) I'd like it hang around for a bit longer. Hope all is well. Graylags remind me of our Greater White- fronted Geese:)A little different overall, but I think they have a lot in common.
Hello Phil, sounds like another successful ringing.. I love the cute Redpoll, great shots of all the birds.. Have a great Thursday, happy birding!
Love that Redpoll and welcome home...Happy to see your new post and hope that you and Sue are well rested and I look forward to many shares from your fun journey~
Nice detail on the chaffinch and redpoll and nice lighting for the cormorant and goose. The Greylag was not bothered by the camera at all.
The redpoll and chaffinch are so sweet. I love this series, Phil, thank you so much for sharing all your photos.
My favourite image is the Lesser Redpoll
I don't believe that Lesser Redpoll is even recognized as a separate species by the ornithological authorities on this side of the Atlantic. Most birders and ornithologists south of the border sem to think that the sun shines out of the ass of the AOU and refer to it as the most authoritative body in the world, and so on, with other navel-gazing superlatives. I have always admired the BOU and their wonderful journal. So, congratulations on your Lesser Redpoll. As a bander you would really be able to appreciate the taxonomic difference by having the bird in the hand and taking appropriate measurements etc.
You're home ... And back to what seems like a wonderful everyday life. So many wonderful birds.
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