Monday 9 March 2020

Ringing at Scotland Wood.

Hello

Some pleasant spring weather today which then gave way to rain this afternoon (and overnight apparently). A ringing session at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today provided 113 captures of eleven species made up of 73 newly-ringed birds and 40 birds with rings previously affixed.

The birds were made up of a Blackbird, two Dunnocks, two Robins, two Goldcrests, twenty-five Great Tits, fifty-three Blue Tits, five Coal Tits, a Marsh Tit, ten Long-tailed Tits, a Nuthatch and eleven Chaffinches. A Chiffchaff was present early on and a Peregrine flew low over the wood and visible migration overhead included a spattering of Meadow Pipits. Another Chiffchaff was noted at Hanging Houghton.

At Harrington Airfield this morning more visible migration saw two Grey Wagtails, more Meadow Pipits and a seasonal Sand Martin moving through. A pair of Stonechat were present and a Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl were hunting almost together.

In the Nene Valley, Stanwick Pits hosted a fly through Barnacle Goose again, four Cattle Egrets and a Great White Egret plus seven Redshanks, six Oystercatchers, ten plus Goosanders, a Snipe and a Water Rail plus three singing Chiffchaffs. Nick Parker saw a Great White Egret at Ringstead Pits and Clifford Hill provided for two drake Scaup, two Oystercatchers, fifty plus Golden Plovers and a Peregrine.

Regards

Neil M

Long-tailed Tit. Nationally it is
thought that last year was a particularly
productive year for this species
 but my impression was that it was much
 more of an ordinary year locally.

Eurasian Wigeon. The wintering population
is fast diminishing but the remaining birds are
vocal and active and preparing for the
forthcoming breeding season.

Both images courtesy of Robin Gossage.

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