Sunday 2 September 2018

Blackcaps!

Hello

Kenny Cramer and team worked hard this morning managing a ringing session at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes where they caught and processed a bumper 132 birds of 16 species!

Exactly half of the birds (63) were Blackcaps which are currently in very large numbers in the Midlands, many of them gorging on elderberries as they pass through the spine of Britain. Other migrants included 10 Reed Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 11 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler and a Whitethroat (a stunning total of 97 warblers). And of course two Kingfishers are always a treat!

A visit to Ringstead Pits with a walk around Kinewell Lake was a venue I haven't visited in a while, the best birds being two Egyptian Geese and a Grey Wagtail with a fabulous gathering of 18 Red Kites following a working tractor in an adjacent field. A Small Copper butterfly was seen there and a good number of Small Heath butterflies were on the wing at Twywell Hills and Dales Country Park.

The gull roost at Pitsford Reservoir this evening contained at least five Yellow-legged Gulls and a Green Sandpiper was heard calling.

Regards

Neil M


Blackcaps courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

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