There were small numbers of Siskins, Lesser Redpolls and Goldfinches on the move north this week. It was on Monday at Oakenclough that Andy caught handfuls of all three species.
We both returned today hoping to witness further evidence of spring migration and catch more of our target species for the site. The forecast wind speed of 5mph was some way off the mark as we arrived to see swaying tree tops and ripples across the surface of the nearby reservoir caused by a 15mph chilly northerly breeze. Fortunately the wind dropped somewhat, the sun came out and we managed to catch 15 birds in a slow trickle of activity but during a morning when the temperature never rose above 8°C.
We didn’t catch a single Goldfinch today and we both scratched our heads trying to remember the last time Goldfinch failed to appear on a field sheet from this site. Coal Tits are also regular here, mainly as recaptures from previous ringing sessions so we were surprised to catch three new ones today in our total of just 15 - 4 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Siskin, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Coal Tit and 1 Dunnock.
Coal Tit
The four Lesser Repolls consisted of three new ones and a recapture from Monday. Both Siskins were new birds and both adult males.
Lesser Redpoll
Lesser Redpoll
Siskin
Siskin
We saw a number of raptors this morning with circling and calling Buzzards much in evidence and a count of between four and eight individuals, all of them harried by crows or gulls in the course of their soaring. We also saw at least two Sparrowhawks plus one or more Peregrine. On Monday Andy had also clocked up a ringtail Hen Harrier over nearby farmland.
Carrion Crows and Buzzard
Other birds today - 4 Mistle Thrush, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Pied Wagtail, 8+ Oystercatcher, 12+ Curlew and the rather unusual sight of a Dipper feeding alongside the water’s edge of the nearby reservoir.
The normal habitat of the dipper is fast flowing streams, and although there are some nearby, to see a dipper along the reservoir’s margins made us look twice.
The normal habitat of the dipper is fast flowing streams, and although there are some nearby, to see a dipper along the reservoir’s margins made us look twice.
White-throated Dipper - R. Knight. East Sussex, UK [CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
More birds next time from Another Bird Blog. Log in soon.
Linking today to Anni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday.
Linking today to Anni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday.
