Frosty Moss

Don't worry I'm not trying to think of lots of titles with the word moss in it! It was a frosty and foggy Rawcliffe Moss when Ian and I met just before 7.00 a.m. to ring at the feeding station. Two 60 foot nets were put up at the feeding station; then we watched them get damp with the mist, freeze, thaw and dry out! Thankfully it didn't stop us catching. We had a reasonably short session so that we were able to get off early and allow the birds to feed. In total we processed 59 new birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):

Coal Tit - 1
Blue Tit - 20 (5)
Chaffinch - 4
Tree Sparrow - 18 (1 control)
Great Tit - 6
Greenfinch - 6
Starling - 3
Robin - 1

Blue Tit

Chaffinch

Coal Tit

Greenfinch

Tree Sparrow

With the combination of fog and the fact that we were busy ringing I didn't record a great deal from a birding perspective. The Yellowhammers had increased to 8 at the Pheasant feeder and we had a single Siskin fly over. It was difficult to estimate the numbers of Tree Sparrows and I just put 100 in my notebook plus whatever we ringed.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker called from Curlew Wood and a bird fed on the peanut feeders but evaded capture. We had two parties of Long-tailed Tits move along the hedge along the track; a group of 15 and 11. There were about 60 Skylarks moving around this morning and a group of 20 Corn Buntings flew over heading to the northwest corner to feed. And that was it.

The forecast for tomorrow is for the northeasterly wind to freshen and for it to clear after any overnight drizzle. There is a tide in the morning so I might have a look and see what's about off Rossall.