Ringing at Scotland Wood

Hello

A cold start to the day but it warmed up by late morning!

Some bird ringing at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today provided about sixty-eight captures of traditional woodland birds which included two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Nuthatches, two Marsh Tits, three Treecreepers, a Blackcap and two Chiffchaffs. A Redpoll and Willow Warbler were both heard in the wood and will be passage migrants. Another period of ringing at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes also provided captures of migrants which included two Sand Martins and a Willow Warbler plus a Kingfisher.

A quieter day for obvious passage in the county today but two Little Gulls were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon, a single Spotted Redshank, a Green Sandpiper and four Little Ringed Plovers were at the Lower Barnwell floods and two Avocets remained at the west end of Whiston Wetlands. More Swallows and Yellow Wagtails arrived in the county today and are gradually becoming more widespread.

Migrants at Summer Leys LNR today included the four Black-tailed Godwits, a pair of Oystercatchers, an overflying Greenshank at Mary's Lake, an Egyptian Goose and warblers which included a Reed Warbler and a reported Garden Warbler.

Migrants at Stanford Reservoir today were a variety of hirundines and warblers which included two Sedge Warblers and other birds were a Kingfisher, two Common Snipe and two Great White Egrets.

A Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail were at Harrington Airfield and Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghon and Lamport and another was by Pitsford village early this morning.

Regards

Neil M

A female Chaffinch showing the 
awful leg disease so prevalent in
this species. During ringing sessions
such birds are released after being
extracted from mist nets. The growths
and calcification of the legs and feet
gradually becomes worse but the birds
 evolve and whilst they still have legs 
and feet they try to operate as normal.

Two male Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Male Blackcap.

Treecreeper.

Nuthatch.

All images courtesy of
Sean Gower.