Cissbury Ring

A quiet morning's ringing at Cissbury featured a few interesting sightings. First of all, I was surprised to see two Shelducks on the downs opposite our ringing station, in the distance. A short while later, they were gone. Once it was starting to get quite hot, a Spotted Flycatcher made a brief appearance by our table, and a Cuckoo which had been singing in the distance flew past us then resumed proclaiming itself a little nearer. A Red Kite and four Buzzards got up towards the end of the session and other sightings included singing Yellowhammer, three Skylarks, a Kestrel, two Bullfinches, Red-legged Partridges, a singing Whitethroat, the Willow Warbler-mimicking Blackcap, a Mistle Thrush, a Swallow, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and perhaps most unusual of all for Cissbury, a Coal Tit.

In terms of ringing, we didn't make double figures, even including retraps but it was nice to handle a couple of Song Thrushes and my first juvenile Robin of the year.

Spotted Flycatcher

Shelducks

juvenile Robin

Cissbury Ring

This morning saw a ringing session with Val and Kath - special guest from Canons Farm. We didn't catch a huge numbers of birds but among the number were of couple of Chiffchaffs still with pollen horns and a Whitethroat. While ringing, a Lesser Whitethroat was singing by our station and a Red Kite flew over. The male Tawny Owl piped up and other bits included a couple of Bullfinches, Buzzard, Kestrel, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, etc. By ear I suspected a Long-tailed Tit nest nearby and Kath spotted it in a bush by the table. A Blackcap was incorporating Willow Warbler phrases into its song. A flyover Lesser Black-backed Gull was noteworthy. Unfortunately, I won't be able to get out much over the next week or so (then I'm off to Canada shortly afterwards).

Cissbury Ring

A morning ringing with Val and Mya featured two retrapped Firecrests among a reasonably varied catch which put us at 1,003 captures at the site this year. Sightings while ringing included a Reed Bunting, two Ravens, a singing Mistle Thrush, two Treecreepers (one singing), a Fieldfare, 60 Redwings, a Meadow Pipit, four Bullfinches, 10 Goldcrests, four Buzzards and several Red-legged Partridges.

Firecrests

Harty Ferry

Late night wader ringing at Harty saw me processed Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Redshank. Knot and Curlew were also caught. The soundscape while we worked included a Barn Owl, Brent Geese, Grey Plovers, Golden Plover, Avocet, Lapwings, Teal and migrating Redwings.

Cissbury Ring

An early start saw Val, Mya, Terry and I meet at dawn to set the mist nets. It was a pretty lively session with a good variety in the catch, including three Firecrests, a Bullfinch and the odd Blackcap, Redwing, Song Thrush and Chiffchaff (one of the latter interestingly being a 2CY+ caught and ringed on site in August while in post-breeding moult!). I'm always keeping an ear and eye out as much as possible while ringing and scanning between net rounds scored us a fly-over Great White Egret as it headed northeast late morning. A heard-only Lapwing was also noteworthy, as was a marvellous flock of nine Ravens, and some 200 Common Gulls fed in the adjacent fields.  Fieldfares and Redwings moved overhead, along with much smaller numbers of Siskins, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Linnets. A Tawny Owl was vocal first thing.

Great White Egret

Redwing

male Bullfinch

Cissbury Ring

A lovely morning's ringing on the Ring with Val featured some nice catches, such as a Firecrest, two Bullfinches and several Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests. A Brambling, two Lesser Redpolls, two Reed Buntings, six Siskins, three Yellowhammers, 19 Greylags, a Little Egret, a Treecreeper, eight Pied Wagtails, five Redwings, two Meadow Pipits and four Skylarks were among the other birds noted during the visit.

1CY male Firecrest

1CY female Bullfinch

adult male Chaffinch

Cissbury Ring

Val, Mya and I had quite a busy ringing session at Cissbury this morning. We caught 80 birds including 39 Willow Warblers (with a good few more around), six Garden Warblers, 16 Blackcaps, seven Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Bullfinch. While doing the rounds I found a Pied Flycatcher - perhaps two - by one of the tracks and picked up 10 distant Wheatears from our ringing station. During a later walk around the Ring itself, I encountered a Tree Pipit and another Lesser Whitethroat, as well as three Mistle Thrushes. A Swift, two House Martins, 25 Swallows and a Raven were among the other birds noted.

Lesser Whitethroat

Garden Warbler

Treecreeper

Cissbury Ring

A ringing session with Val and Finch. It was clear that warblers were starting to move, and it was pleasing to catch two Garden Warblers and a Reed Warbler. Around 15 Willow Warblers were on site, including a handful caught. Four playful Ravens were over the distant hillside. A Yellowhammer and two Bullfinches were among the other birds noted, and at least 10 of both Blackcap and Whitethroat were around.

Garden Warbler

Willow Warbler

Cissbury Ring and West Worthing

A morning ringing with Val, Finch and Mya produced some interesting catches. Juveniles of Lesser Whitethroat and Treecreeper found their way into the net, and a Woodpigeon proved something bigger to get our hands on. Two Crossbills calling as they flew ESE was the best moment of the morning for me, though. In the nearby fields a Corn Bunting sang and a few Red-legged Partridges were arguing among themselves. Three Yellowhammers seen included a juvenile. A Swift, four Swallows, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and two Buzzards were among some of the other species noted. In the evening, 30 local Swifts were over my West Worthing garden. I spent a while savouring the sight and sound - it won't be long till they're gone!

juvenile Lesser Whitethroat at Cissbury Ring

juvenile Treecreeper at Cissbury Ring

West Worthing and Ladywell

Walking out of the back door first thing, I was greeted by the bubbling of fly-over Whimbrel, a tidy garden tick. I joined the ringers at Ladywell for the morning where we had an enjoyable session featuring a single Sedge Warbler and a number of Reed Warblers. Two Shelducks were apparently a site first and other sightings included two Treecreepers, a Mistle Thrush, four Buzzards, a Red Kite, a Little Egret, two Cetti's Warblers, 12 Swifts and four House Martins.

Whimbrel over my garden

Leith Hill, 6th November 2017

A fabulous morning was spent ringing on Leith Hill with Paul S - we didn't catch a huge amount of birds but it was nice to get out ringing for the first time in months! There was plenty to look at in between net rounds, with highlights including eight Hawfinches overhead, a Dartford Warbler (a site tick for me), a Woodcock and five Bramblings, while a Skylark and, particularly, a Reed Bunting were notable site birds. At least four Tawny Owls were vocal as we set up just before dawn.

1cy female Goldcrest

Lothian, 12-16th July 2017

In Edinburgh for a while, I'm managing to fit in a little ornithological activity here and there, through ringing in the garden and local trips. The single net stretching over the lawn has had its moments, catching a Bullfinch, five House Sparrows and a Coal Tit of note so far. Musselburgh Lagoons is the best site within easy reach and welcomed me back with a Wood Sandpiper on Thursday, this being among a good variety of expected waders. Activity in the adjacent Firth of Forth has also provided much interest (for my southern inland eyes at least), with Goosanders peaking at 97, Eiders at 300, Velvet Scoters at 14, Common Scoters at 60 and seabirds such as Red-throated Diver, Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar and Gannet featuring. A trip to Aberlady Bay on Friday produced my first two Scottish Little Egrets and a Lesser Redpoll.

2cy female Bullfinch in the garden on Wednesday

Wood Sandpiper at Musselburgh on Thursday

adult Black-tailed Godwit at Musselburgh on Thursday

Little Egret at Aberlady Bay on Friday, a Scottish tick for me

Lesser Redpoll at Aberlady Bay on Friday

juvenile Sandwich Tern at Musselburgh on Friday

some kind of escaped butterfly at Musselburgh on Friday

one of five House Sparrows caught in the garden yesterday

part of the mass of Goosanders at Musselburgh today

adult Kittiwake at Musselburgh today

eclipse drake Eider at Musselburgh today

some of the 96 Mute Swans at the River Esk mouth at Musselburgh today

Banstead Woods, Canons Farm and Beddington Farmlands, 26th June 2017

A pleasant walk in perfect weather through Canons Farm, where a Hobby was hunting, took me to Banstead Woods and I managed to connect at last with a Small Blue, my 34th butterfly species at the patch. WoodChips Conservation Volunteers constructed a Kidney Vetch scrape last year, which has swiftly attracted this latest addition to the lepidoptera of Banstead Woods.

Small Blue at Banstead Woods

Kojak and I teamed up for an evening ringing session at Beddington, setting just three nets, including two in experimental positions. One of these proved its worth by catching five juvenile Starlings in one hit, these being among 22 new birds caught, making for one of our most profitable sessions to date!

two of the five juvenile Starlings caught and ringed at Beddington

Banstead Woods and Beddington Farmlands, 4th June 2017

I sauntered around the east side of the Banstead Woods recording sector early this afternoon in the hope of catching up with some butterflies, a group which I have shamefully neglected so far this year. I've not seen anything other than the usual common species and figured it was about time I saw at least a Green Hairstreak, a Dingy or a Grizzled Skipper. Alas, the wind was stopping anything from really showing.

In the evening, Kojak and I headed to Hundred Acre to do some maintenance on our ringing sub-site and put just one sheltered net up, catching seven birds in a couple of hours, including three new Reed Warblers. Perhaps 400 Swifts swarmed around the site as we were leaving and other notables included three Egyptian Geese and a Grey Wagtail, not to mention the Kingfisher that shot within inches of my face - my first on the site for a little while!

adult ♂ Kestrel at Banstead Woods

22-24th May 2017

Up at some crazy hour on Monday morning, I set up the nets on Hundred Acre, conscious that I'd have few more chances to net this spring. Another reasonable session saw seven Reed Warblers among 14 new birds ringed, this being across three nets.

Reed Warbler

juvenile Robin, my first caught this year (along with juveniles of Blackbird and Dunnock)

Out of the area again, I visited Middleton Lakes with David D-L on Tuesday evening, securing some value in the form of two summer-plumaged Little Stints with four Dunlin and four Ringed Plovers. Other notables included a Hobby, two Peregrines and two Cuckoos. Earlier in the day, birds in central Birmingham included two of both Grey Wagtail and Mistle Thrush.

Little Stints at Middleton Lakes

On the way back home yesterday, I met up with Paul S and reconvened with DDL for some White-winged Black Tern-watching at Staines Reservoirs; the 2cy bird showed rather well on the west side, where it skipped between the basins and repeatedly splashed into the water during a dizzying and energetic flight. Two fine Black-necked Grebes showed distantly on the South Basin and three Ringed Plovers flew over...

2cy White-winged Black Tern at Staines Reservoirs

Beddington Farmlands, 12th May 2017

A morning spent on Hundred Acre with Kojak and Magnus A saw the nets open for a little while but we packed up earlier than usual when rain looked as though it was going to set in. A few more Reed Warblers were processed, as was another Rose-ringed Parakeet and a Whitethroat. Birding highlights while doing the rounds include a fly-over Yellow Wagtail, the 2cy Iceland Gull again, a Little Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers and a couple of Lesser Whitethroats.

2cy Iceland Gull

♂ Whitethroat

Beddington Farmlands, 28th April 2017

I was joined by Koje and Magnus A for a ringing session on Hundred Acre. The pre-dawn clamour of recently arrived Reed Warblers in the reedbed was a promising sign and, with little wind and a fair bit of cloud cover, I remained cautiously optimistic for a productive morning. Indeed, it turned out alright with 21 birds caught, including 16 new, making for our most fruitful session on Hundred Acre to date. I was delighted that among the number were eight Reed Warblers, seven new and one already bearing a ring (probably from Beddington in a previous year but to be checked). A male Reed Bunting was another nice catch.

Reed Warbler

Greenshank

Little Ringed Plover

Red Kite

There was plenty of entertainment overhead and around the sludge lagoons, too. One or two Greenshanks were knocking around, as were singles of Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover. A Lesser Whitethroat sang by the gate. I finally reached 150 for Beddington by at long last connecting with a Red Kite on site, albeit a tail-less one!  In the middle of one of the net rounds, Mag picked up a 2cy Iceland Gull flying over.

2cy Iceland Gull

Beddington Farmlands and Belmont, 14th April 2017

Parking up in the suburbs of Mitcham Junction at 4.30am, Kojak and I embarked into the darkness to set up the nets for another ringing session on Hundred Acre. We stuck it out till early afternoon, accompanied by Paul M and Christian C, and did reasonably well in comparison to most mornings' netting there so far. The biggest horror treat came when four Rose-ringed Parakeets, which had been feeding on buds in the bushes in one of the sludge lagoons, ended up in a single net at once. Neither Koje nor I had ever processed a parakeet before but had heard the stories of blood and gore (inflicted upon ringers by the birds!). It was a real challenge keeping all of one's fingers out of reach of the parakeets' nimble and brutal bills but we managed to get them done and off safely, even if we may have some scars to show for the encounter.

I was hoping for better numbers of migrants in the nets but was happy to catch a singles of Whitethroat and Blackcap, the former being the first I've seen anywhere this year (there were two others singing). Overhead passage included two Yellow Wagtails, a year-tick for all of us, and three Sand Martins. A Green Sandpiper called in the pre-dawn gloam, as did a Snipe. A rather jammy line-up of Christian's scope led to us spotting a juvenile Iceland Gull loafing on one of the Viridor buildings. My schedule is pretty packed for the next few weeks but I hope to fit in as many ringing sessions at Beddington as I can over the spring.

Rose-ringed Parakeet at Beddington - the blood is mine!

♂ Whitethroat at Beddington

juvenile Iceland Gull at Beddington