Severe weather and Blue Tits!

Hello

A day of heavy rain linked with mild temperatures and strong winds this evening and many places in the county are flooded - the weather forecast for tomorrow is quite different!

Very few reports of birds today but Stanford Reservoir continued to support the four Black-necked Grebes, a Great White Egret and the long-staying pair of Bearded Tits.

I visited three feeding stations in very wet conditions today but saw very little for my trouble but there was still a Grey Wagtail and a few Siskins at Kelmarsh Hall this afternoon.

So some pictures from the ringing session at Pitsford yesterday courtesy of Bethan Clyne...

Regards

Neil M

First year male Fieldfare.

Unusually coloured claws
on the Fieldfare...!

Blue Tits. Although more difficult
in the field, in the hand (for much of the year)
it is often possible to assess both age and gender.
 In general the females tend to smaller and duller with
the adults brighter and bluer. The males
tend to exhibit broader collars with more 
contrast on the face and head and azure
edges to the tail feathers (and proportionately
more azure in the crown that the females),
and the lesser and median coverts are a rich
almost cobalt blue colour. The adult males
exhibit blue primary coverts (with minimal contrast
in the depth of blue from the lesser/median coverts)
 with first year males exhibiting different primary
covert colours that can range from a bright turquoise
to a dull green, and contrast with the blue of the 
lesser/median coverts.