A Few More Warblers

I was back in the Obs reedbed again this morning under full cloud cover and a light north-easterly wind. As always, when I was putting the nets up, I try and gauge whether there was 'much in', and this morning it felt quiet; very little calling as I put the nets up. Mind you, that might be because the nets were up and open by 5:30 am!

As I sat at the back of my car with my first coffee of the morning, I noted a few Alba Wags heading north, that had obviously come from a roost not too far away to the south. I counted about fifteen in all, but I imagine others would have flown in different directions to feeding areas, and I was just seeing the birds heading north over me.

Talking of roosting birds, I could hear the Starlings before they came out of their reedbed roost. I have been close to the roost early in the morning before they disperse, and the noise of thousands of wings sounds like waves rolling on to the shore, but from the distance I was this morning, it was more like a gentle 'swish'. When they come out of the roost it's like an explosion, a noise of a giant Champagne bottle popping, as ten thousand wings take to the air! Not much of a murmuration in the morning, it's more of an up and away to the first feeding areas of the day.

 Starlings (above & below)

I didn't really have any vis this morning other than two Tree Pipits over, a Swallow east and a Lesser Redpoll south. I did have my first wader on our newly restored scrape though, in the form of a Whimbrel. I saw it fly in, but sadly it only remained for a few minutes before taking off and heading east across the estuary.

I ringed 22 birds this morning with no recaptures as follows:

Greenfinch - 5
Willow Warbler - 6
Reed Warbler - 5
Goldfinch - 1
Blackcap - 3
Sedge Warbler - 1
Garden Warbler - 1

 Goldfinch

 Willow Warbler

It's looking too windy for ringing in the morning, otherwise I would have been back out in the reedbed again. In fact, it's not looking too good all week, but as always there's time for it to change.