A Proper Spring Morning

Huw and Me returned to the obs this morning and for the first few hours it felt colder than yesterday with quite a hard frost but at least it was calm and we could get some nets up. The cloud cover that was forecasted to form over night didn't materialise until late morning, but we were to find out through our ringing later on that there had been a fall.

Just like yesterday as we were putting the nets up in the half-light a Barn Owl was hunting the fields; what a cracking sight. There was plenty of vis this morning, but it did seem to take quite a while to get going, but the range of species was less. Heading northwards we recorded 421 Pink-footed Geese, seven Alba Wagtails, 33 Woodpigeons, two Chaffinches, a Linnet, six Siskins, two Skylarks, a Snipe and 1,051 Meadow Pipits.

 Meadow Pipit

We ringed an excellent 59 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):

Meadow Pipit - 32
Robin - 1
Lesser Redpoll - 8
Reed Bunting - 1
Blue Tit - 1
Wren - 1
Chiffchaff - 7
Chaffinch - 1
Greenfinch - 1 (1)
Goldcrest - 4
Blackbird - 2

 Greenfinch

 Chiffchaff

Based on some of the species ringed and our observation of birds in the field I would say that grounded migrants included a male Wheatear, five Goldcrests, a Reed Bunting, eight Chiffchaffs and two Blackbirds. The only other species of note was a female Sparrowhawk that shot through early on.

Goldcrest

The weather and wind direction for the coming week doesn't look overly promising for migration but as ever I'll keep an open mind and keep looking.