Saturday 4 March 2017

Finches on the move...

Hello

This morning just one pair of Stonechat were visible in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and higher water levels at Ravensthorpe Reservoir haven't put off the Otters with two animals on show from the causeway this morning.

Chris Payne enjoyed a brief spell of ringing at Greens Norton today, catching 14 Goldfinches and 2 Siskins and reported that Goldfinches were clearly on the move all day.

A ringing session at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today caused 127 birds to be processed made up of 61 new birds and 67 re-trapped individuals. These were made up of 9 Dunnocks, 4 Nuthatches, 29 Great Tits, 3 Blackbirds, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrushes, 3 Wrens, 3 Goldcrests, 11 Robins, 31 Blue Tits, 9 Chaffinches, 3 Siskins, 16 Coal Tits, a Treecreeper and 2 Long-tailed Tits. Another dozen or so Chaffinches were released from the nets due to diseased legs.

At least one of the Chaffinches processed today was a typical continental bird and was carrying a great deal of fat and weighing on average a third more than the average bird. I think he will be on his way any day now...

Siskins seemed to be on the move with small flocks arriving and departing during the day, a Crossbill spent some time in the trees above us before moving on and other birds included anything between six to a dozen Woodcocks active just before dawn. Other birds noted include several Marsh Tits, a singing Willow Tit, a redpoll sp and a couple of Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

A stunning adult male
Siskin courtesy of Chris Payne.

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