A perfect blue sky and a white ground frost greeted Will and I this morning at Rawcliffe as we returned for another ringing session. We fought against icy fingers and frozen ropes to erect the nets then watched the overhead vapour trails leading in every direction, hoping that birds had taken to the clear overnight conditions and were even now headed our way.
But yesterday’s drip of birds didn’t turn into today’s flood of migrants with just 15 birds caught, 9 new and 6 recaptures. New: 5 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Goldfinch and 1 Robin. Recaptures: 3 Goldfinch, 1 Reed Bunting and 1 Blue Tit. The new Robin was the first caught here this year, likewise the Reed Bunting L141507, first ringed here as a recently fledged juvenile, a 3J, in July 2010 but now returned as a probable breeding male.
Visible migration this morning was virtually nil, with just 15 Lesser Redpolls heading north and a few dropping into the alders where our nets were set. Highlights otherwise: 2 Pied Wagtails on territory, 3 singing Whitethroat, 3 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mistle Thrush, 4 Buzzard, 4 Grey Partridge, 1 Kestrel and 20+ Linnet.
Maybe someone will turn the migration tap to "full on" soon? Hope so.
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