Hello
Despite the drizzle and light rain, I decided to try one of my favourite short walks which I haven't completed in ages. So this morning I took a circular walk around Harlestone village and Harlestone Lake which resulted in good numbers of common birds, many of them in full song. Grey Wagtail and Little Owl were perhaps the pick of the species and sadly I didn't detect a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, this venue used to be a traditional site for this diminutive and now very rare woodpecker. The habitat hasn't seemingly changed much over the years but the status of the bird has.
Eleanor was over at Staverton near Daventry this afternoon and noted a pair of very noisy Raven, clearly intent on breeding in tall conifers there.
It was a warm welcome to an old friend today when male Blue Tit X669693 turned up in a mist net in our garden today. He was first ringed as a juvenile in July 2010, caught again in August of that year and re-trapped again in 2011 but not recorded since... During that time his wing-length had increased by two millimeters and today he was in excellent condition. Blue Tits don't live very long and their work-rate when feeding young is phenomenal to the point that they must be absolutely shattered when they finally let their fledged young wander off on their own. This bird has also endured the two cold, hard winters of 2010/2011 and 2011/12 and no doubt dodged countless attacks from predators. How far has he wandered in that time and what other life experiences can we guess at?
Regards
Neil M
Despite the drizzle and light rain, I decided to try one of my favourite short walks which I haven't completed in ages. So this morning I took a circular walk around Harlestone village and Harlestone Lake which resulted in good numbers of common birds, many of them in full song. Grey Wagtail and Little Owl were perhaps the pick of the species and sadly I didn't detect a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, this venue used to be a traditional site for this diminutive and now very rare woodpecker. The habitat hasn't seemingly changed much over the years but the status of the bird has.
Eleanor was over at Staverton near Daventry this afternoon and noted a pair of very noisy Raven, clearly intent on breeding in tall conifers there.
It was a warm welcome to an old friend today when male Blue Tit X669693 turned up in a mist net in our garden today. He was first ringed as a juvenile in July 2010, caught again in August of that year and re-trapped again in 2011 but not recorded since... During that time his wing-length had increased by two millimeters and today he was in excellent condition. Blue Tits don't live very long and their work-rate when feeding young is phenomenal to the point that they must be absolutely shattered when they finally let their fledged young wander off on their own. This bird has also endured the two cold, hard winters of 2010/2011 and 2011/12 and no doubt dodged countless attacks from predators. How far has he wandered in that time and what other life experiences can we guess at?
Regards
Neil M
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