First Meadow Pipits Ringed For The Autumn

I had a ringing session in the coastal scrub yesterday morning and as I unlocked the gates at 0530 it was flat calm with clear skies. It was the first decent day for some vis for a few days and I was hoping there would be a good few birds on the move.

There were a few birds on the move but not as much as I expected, even taking into account that I was busy ringing and it was hard to look out for vis and concentrate on ringing at the same time. Interestingly, Ian was further up the peninsula where the coast changes from a north--south alignment to an east-west alignment and he had a lot of vis heading east!

My poor vis totals included 53 Meadow Pipits south, two Grey Wagtails south, two Alba Wags south, three Skylarks south and I've saved the best until last; four Tree Sparrows south!

I had nothing additional grounded to what I ringed and I ringed 31 birds (no recaptures) as follows:

Greenfinch - 4
Dunnock - 5
Blue Tit - 11
Robin - 4
Meadow Pipit - 6
Goldfinch - 1

 Dunnock

 Robin

 Greenfinch

The only other records of note for the morning were a flock of thirteen Goldfinches and a cracking adult male Sparrowhawk that somehow managed to avoid my net when flying directly towards it two feet off the ground!

We're at the Swallow roost this evening and hopefully the Swallows will have built up again after being scared off by that Hobby!