A Mid-week Ringing Session

I am up to date with all my survey work at the minute, and the weather Wednesday morning was suitable to do some ringing at the Obs with 7 oktas cloud cover and a light southerly breeze. The forecast for this coming weekend on, with perhaps the exception of Monday, doesn't look very good at all for ten days or more, so it was an opportunity not to be missed.

From first light there was quite a bit of 'Pinkie' action with Pink-footed Geese departing their roost on the river, birds arriving from roosts further east and birds arriving and heading south. I tried to distinguish what each flock was doing, but it will suffice for the Blog to say that I had 1,851 during the morning.

 Pink-footed Geese

I couldn't really say that I had any grounded migrants, other than the birds that I ringed, but two explosive calling Cetti's Warblers were, and are, always good to hear.

There was some vis but it was fairly slow and it involved Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches, Grey Wagtails, Linnets and Alba Wags, but we're only talking a handful of each.

 Linnet

Greenfinches are always interesting at this time of year and I always have Greenfinch on my MP3 player for ringing, particularly during October. I never really see or hear many going over, but the MP3 certainly pulls them in, and often like the individual pictured below their bills are covered in the husk of Rose hips, providing evidence of one of their major autumn food sources.

Greenfinch

I ringed 27 birds (recaptures in brackets) as follows:

Chaffinch - 1
Reed Warbler - 2
Great Tit - 4
Linnet - 1
Robin - 3
Goldfinch - 1
Blue Tit - 2
Greenfinch - 9
Wren - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
Goldcrest - (1)

 Goldcrest

After I had packed up ringing I had quick look on the pools and recorded 26 Coots, a female Shoveler and a male Pochard.

It's going to be a bright day tomorrow with quite a stiff easterly wind, so a spot of 'vis' might be the order of the morning.