Friday 6 May 2016

Local bird ringing

Hello

Dave Francis completed his first CES ringing session of the season at Pitsford Reservoir today and caught 56 birds of 18 species. These included seven Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, a Reed Warbler, six Chiffchaffs, three Reed Buntings, three Treecreepers, two Bullfinches, a Yellowhammer, a Song Thrush, a Marsh Tit and a Willow Tit.

A more modest ringing session at Harrington Airfield this morning provided 35 captures which included three Blackcaps, two Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, four Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and ten Yellowhammers. Both Whitethroats were returning adults to the site being first caught and ringed there last year. Three of the Willow Warblers were also returning adults from 2015 and 2014. Both these latter species would have wintered south of the Sahara but these waifs have made it back to breed in the same few bushes at Harrington Airfield. Amazing!

Transitory migrants at Harrington seemed to be in short supply today, but two Wheatears were still present...

Regards

Neil M

Willow Warbler

Whitethroat

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