The weather this week has been mostly nasty, rain or fog and simply no sunshine, so when this morning dawned grey and cloudy but decidedly dry I headed over to Out Rawcliffe for a ringing session. During Tuesday’s rain I topped the feeders and scattered a little finch food, and with Wednesday being a shoot day which would keep birds away for a while, I hoped for a decent catch today.
Arriving in the half-light I followed a Barn Owl for a while as it hunted along the road ahead of the car, then as I slowed to watch the owl it sped away with that rather rapid wing beat that Barn Owls can employ.
The session was quite steady with just 4 species but a reasonable total of 24 new birds which were mainly finches, but no recaptures today: 10 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting and 1 Brambling. The catch reflected the number of birds in the area today, with a mixed flock of c 160 Chaffinch and 8 Brambling in the distant stubble, a small number of which find their way to the nets. Once again there were 18/20 Reed Bunting along the woodland/field edge and a coming-and-going count of 45+ Goldfinch.
A couple of this morning’s Chaffinches proved to be of probable Continental origin, an adult male with a wing length of 95mm and an adult female with a length of 87mm, both measurements almost as long as their respective limits.
Chaffinch - adult male
The single Brambling caught was a second calendar year (born 2012) female. The very pointy tail feathers gave the game away.
Brambling - second calendar year female
Brambling - second calendar year female
Today’s three Reed Bunting added to the 23 apparently winterering but also very mobile birds caught here in November, December and to date in January 2013.
Reed Bunting
The ringing kept me fairly busy, however in-between times I clocked up 1750 Woodpigeon, 2 Jay, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 32 Corn Bunting, 90 Fieldfare, 22 Redwing, 4 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Skylark.
On the way home I couldn’t resist a shot of the dependable and regular Little Owl, even though I had to use ISO800 and over expose due to the poor light.
Little Owl
Keep looking in folks, Another Bird Blog is back soon.
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