Where Did The Week Go?

I can't believe it's been a week since I was last ringing at the obs! Unfortunately I've been busy with work this week and it has meant time working rather than time birding! At the obs this morning I had a bit of a disastrous start when my head torch packed up, so it was a case of erecting nets by touch!

I had full cloud cover this morning with a stiffish southeasterly breeze. First up was a Fieldfare calling in the darkness, but that would be it in terms of Thrushes on the move for me. In fact the vis was particularly slowly, probably due to the dark mass of black cloud to the north that would have been sitting over Morecambe Bay and the south Lakes. What I did have on vis were three Chaffinches, two Alba Wags, 48 Greenfinches, a Coal Tit, three Grey Wagtails, two Reed Buntings, a Redpoll sp., 40 Jackdaws, five Swallows and ten Meadow Pipits.

 Coal Tit

The only birds that I could consider grounded were a Coal Tit, 12 Long-tailed Tits and a Goldcrest. I ringed 25 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):

Blackbird - 3 (two were continental males)
Greenfinch - 8
Long-tailed Tit - 11 (1)
Song Thrush - 1
Coal Tit - 1
Robin - 1
Great Tit - (1)

 Long-tailed Tit

I was working in the uplands yesterday on the Lancashire and North Yorkshire border and it was quiet, birdwise as expected at this time of year, on the particular area of moorland I was surveying. I did have good numbers of Red Grouse and had 50 in total. On a largish wet flush as I walked round it trying to find a place to cross I flushed 122 Snipe and when I stopped for a coffee in the afternoon a party of three Stonechats moved through and then silence descended again.

 Looking towards North Yorkshire from God's Own County!

The forecast is looking okay for the morning so I'll have another try ringing and birding at the obs. The easterlies are continuing into next week, but typically I have a lot of work on, but I'll see if I can squeeze a few mornings birding in!