No Rest For The Wicked!

I had a busy day today that included some ringing, habitat management and continued next box building, and I must admit I'm ready for a beer or two now!

This morning Ian and I went ringing at Ian's woodland feeding station and even though we did ring a few birds it was quiet. The fact that we only recaptured a previously ringed bird suggests that the birds are less reliant on the food at the moment and more interested in setting up breeding territories. We processed 12 new birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):

Blue Tit - 1 (1)
Reed Bunting - 2
Dunnock - 3
Chaffinch - 2
Greenfinch - 1
Blackbird - 2
Wren - 1

Blue Tit

Dunnock

Reed Bunting

We didn't see too much whilst we were ringing but a Brambling and drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker were nice.

After we packed in ringing we headed to the 'obs' to set it up for Spring. We planted five young Downy Birch and Scots Pine trees in one net ride and then planted a further 80 Willow 'whips'. We also gave some of the net rides a 'hair cut' by trimming back Hawthorn and Bramble.

 Newly planted trees at the obs

Interestingly at the obs it seemed as though a few birds were perhaps on the move. We were there late morning and had 2 Grey Wagtails, single Pied Wagtail and 3 Meadow Pipits head north. Spring is just round the corner!

I then headed home to check my 'empty for a second day runnng' moth trap and then I carried on working on my nest boxes. They're virtually finished now other than putting the lid fasteners on and giving them a coat of wood preservative.

Nest boxes now with holes