Early Morning Buzz

After 37 years of birding and 30 years of ringing birds I still get a buzz when I set my alarm for the morning and long may that boyish enthusiasm remain! I must confess sometimes when I'm setting my alarm for 3.00 a.m. and I have a fridge full of real ale delights such as Saltaire's Raspberry Blonde, Copper Dragon's Golden Pippin or perhaps Orkney Brewery's Corncrake then the temptation is not to bother!

It wasn't a 3.00 a.m. alarm call this morning, just a mere 4.40 a.m. instead! I know that seems like an odd time to set my alarm for but I have it off to a fine 'tee'. In 35 minutes I can have rolled out of my pit, got my gear together, put my poles on my car and unlocked the gate to the obs and started putting nets up!

I had that 'early  morning buzz' this morning in anticipation of what I might see or what I might catch. It is a great privilege to be able to ring birds and no ringer should ever forget that, and for me it is about contributing further to avian science and conservation.

Having said all that it was very quiet this morning! There was very little on the move other than my first southward bound Meadow Pipit of the autumn, an Alba Wag and two Snipes.

My alternative title for this posting was 'Blackwit Down' as on the front field I had a single Black-tailed Godwit on the deck feeding with nine Black-headed Gulls. Other than a single Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat the 'Blackwit' was the only grounded migrant.

 Black-tailed Godwit

I ringed seven birds as follows:

Wren - 2
Sedge Warbler - 1
Whitethroat - 1
Robin - 1
Dunnock - 1
Blackbird - 1

 Whitethroat

The forecast is good for this evening so I should have a Swallow roost ringing session to report on tomorrow!