Tuesday 1 May 2018

Corn Bunting and friends...

Hello

My visit to the Kelmarsh area this morning provided only a view of a Raven and a slight increase in the number of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. Eleanor noted two Wheatears in the Brampton Valley between the Brampton Valley Way and Gamboro' Plantation below Hanging Houghton.

The best local bird I heard about today was the discovery of a singing Corn Bunting near Moulton. Jacob found it today and it provides a glimmer of hope that maybe just a few individuals are still hanging on locally. The bird is on private land and access is restricted.

Finally news has come through of an excellent Goldfinch ringing recovery. A first year male was caught and ringed by Dave Francis in his garden on the outskirts of Northampton on 3rd March this year. It was next recorded by the North Solway Ringing Group when they extracted it from a mist net at Leswalt, Dumfries and Galloway on 27th April. This multi-coloured gem travelled 407km in a north-westerly direction within 55 days.

Avid feeders of garden birds providing niger, sunflower hearts and other seed are used to the phenomenon of fresh pulses of finches arriving on the feeders in the late winter and spring. Often these birds only last a day or two and disappear, using our gardens to rapidly replenish themselves and then move on to their final destination.

Regards

Neil M


Raven.

Corn Bunting.

Goldfinch.
Courtesy of Chris Payne.

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