First Bachelor Finches On The Move

Yesterday morning I decided to do some ringing at the Obs before I settled down for a day in the office and with a light easterly wind and cloudy skies conditions were good for operating mist nets. I would have caught more than I did were it not for a large uncontrolled Labrador dog that damaged one of my nets! I won't go in to detail here as to what I think about certain dog walkers but all I will say is that they aren't very popular here at the Obs!

I ringed 23 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):

Blackbird - 2
Wren - 1
Robin - 2 (1)
Meadow Pipit - 3
Blue Tit - 4 (1)
Great Tit - 1
Reed Bunting - 2
Dunnock - 2
Reed Warbler - 1
Greenfinch - 5

 This Blackbird was moulting from juvenile to adult plumage.

It was the first morning that I noticed Chaffinches on the move. Between net rounds I didn't count many, only four heading south, but they were definitely on the move. Other vis included seven Grey Wagtails, three Alba Wags, 88 Meadow Pipits,  three Skylarks and eleven Greenfinches.

 Greenfinch

Pink-footed Geese were arriving from their Wyre roost to feed in the farm fields across the road and I had 155 drop in. Grounded migrants were perhaps represented by the Robins, Reed Buntings and Reed Warbler that I ringed, but I detected little else.

 Robin

If I can crack on and get this orchard management plan finished today I might allow myself some time in the morning for some more migration monitoring. So enough waffle, I need to get on!

 Great Tit