Gail and I were almost forced to go ringing on Saturday morning, by a combination of the weather forecast and circumstances. As Gail is retired, and I am flexible in terms of my work, mid-week ringing sessions are always a possibility, but this past the week the weather didn't play ball until Saturday. The forecast for Sunday was for some light rain, and the winds would be towards the top end for operating mist nets, Monday looked better, but I had other commitments and the dreaded 'black cloud' was forecast, which invariably leads to rain. So, Saturday it had to be, even though we knew pretty well that we probably wouldn't catch much. It was forecast for clear skies, clear-out weather and high-flying vis, although it would virtually be flat calm. When we got up at 4:45 a.m. there was ice on the car, and a low mist had formed, neither conducive to migration.
The drive from our house to the reedbed at the Nature Park takes under ten minutes, and that was enough time for ice to form on our poles that were wet from overnight rain. So, putting the nets up with icy poles, and wet ropes, as we were in a reedbed, caused a little discomfort! However, once the mist lifted and the sun made an appearance, it was a glorious morning, and it soon warmed up.
Our prediction of not catching much proved correct and we ringed just two birds, a female Reed Bunting and a male Willow Warbler, and we recaptured a male Blackcap. When I checked the ring number on the Blackcap it had been ringed by Phil in our group at a site on the edge of Bowland, near Oakenclough (19.4 km due east), in June 2020. I suspect that it had fledged at, or very close to the Oakenclough site, as the habitat is suitable for breeding Blackcaps. I didn't know whether Blackcaps showed high site fidelity during the breeding season or not, and a trawl on the internet and a look in Cramp, S (ed.) (1992) The Birds of the Western Palearctic VI left me none the wiser. I could find papers stating that they showed high site fidelity in wintering areas, but nothing on breeding areas. So, this Blackcap was either on its way back to Oakenclough when I caught it, or it was breeding somewhere close to the Nature Park. And it was nearly three years old. Interesting stuff.
pick to enlarge), which are sticky encrustrations on the feathers from foraging
on the insects and nectars of flowers.
Definitely a morning of quality, not quantity.
As per usual Cetti's Warblers were very vocal, and there was at least four singing. The Blackcap that we recaptured was also singing away on site, as were two Willow Warblers. The only other grounded migrant we had was a female Wheatear, and a female Sparrowhawk put in an appearance. Once the mist cleared there was a steady trickle of one's and twos of Meadow Pipits and Swallows heading north.
And that's about it. I've got a breeding wader survey to do in the week, so hopefully more of that later.
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