Almost three weeks had flown with very little birding and even less ringing to brighten grey days. Our last ringing session at Gulf Lane had been 9th January with an embarrassingly low catch of Linnets. We’d pencilled in a day last Wednesday but when overnight temperatures dropped to -6° with freezing rain, we chickened out from skating on ice.
My blogging/birding pal David Gascoigne in Ontario tells me that on one day last week he woke to a healthy -19°. Undeterred, his group ventured out for their customary Tuesday Ramble!
This Wednesday promised slightly better for us, without the freezing rain but still 0° with maybe a snow shower or two, but hopefully time to make amends. I met Andy at 0800 and we set the nets then waited for the Linnets to arrive.
An hour long snow shower didn't help matters when the circa 200 Linnets disappeared from sight. It was only when the snow stopped and the sky brightened that they returned and we managed to catch a couple - two first winter males. So it’s back to the drawing board for now.
Linnet
Linnets
Other birds seen today – 16 Whooper Swans and over towards the sea wall, a single Barn Owl.
Whooper Swans
Today's snow was the first, and hopefully the last of the winter.
Snowfall - 30 January 2019
Stay tuned. There's birding ringing and pictures when the snow clears.
Linking today to Anni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday.
Linking today to Anni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday.