Saturday 4th May 2013

A breezy southwesterly day. Migrants continued to be in low numbers with the only ones of note being a Firecrest, 40 Swallows, 10 Whitethroats, 2 Sand Martins, 3 Hous Martins, a Swift, a Yellow Wagtail and 2 Redpolls. Offshore 24 Whimbrels, 4 Gannets, a Fulmar and 4 Common Terns headed past.

11 birds were ringed; 3 Whitethroats, 2 Linnets and single Song Thrush, Firecrest, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Redpoll and Greenfinch.

Friday 3rd May 2013

A calm sunny day. Few birds were about but viz mig did produce a Buzzard, 2 Jays, 10 Swallows and Swift heading north, along with a Sand Martin, a House Martin and 6 Swallows heading south. Offshore 13 Common Terns 2 Little Terns and a Sandwich Tern were the highlights and 2 Avocets headed up river.

9 birds were ringed; 3 Linnets, 2 Chiffchaffs and single Blackcap, Goldfinch, Blue Tit and Chaffinch.

Thursday 2nd May 2013

Clear skies overnight resulted in a slight ground frost this morning, that and north-northeast winds don't help at this time of year. The only birds of note was a Turtle Dove heading north early morning and a Black Redstart in the moat.

Ringing; 1 Linnet

Wednesday 1st May 2013

Glorious sunny morning. Today's highlights are a male Bullfinch (spring rarity here) & 5 Jays moving through. Hard work on the reserve with 8 Wheatear & a Black Red the highlights. Next to nothing moving offshore, overhead or through the bushes.

Ringing: 1 Willow Warbler & 1 Linnet.

April 2013 Ringing Totals

A total of 548 of 35 species were ringed, this is the highest April total since 1998.

Sparrowhawk	2	Wren	10
Water Rail	1	Ring Ouzel	2
Woodpigeon	4	Blackbird	63
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1	Song Thrush	20
Magpie	1	Redwing	15
Jay	2	Robin	28
Goldcrest	28	Nightingale	1
Firecrest	15	Black Redstart	3
Blue Tit	2	Redstart	3
Great Tit	12	Wheatear	50
Chiffchaff	38	Tree Pipit	1
Willow Warbler	88	Meadow Pipit	2
Blackcap	67	Chaffinch	9
Garden Warbler	1	Greenfinch	17
Lesser Whitethroat	4	Goldfinch	2
Whitethroat	35	Linnet	15
Sedge Warbler	2	Lesser Redpoll	1
Reed Warbler	3

Tuesday 30th April 2013

A quiet day with the only birds of note being 2 Firecrests, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 14 Swallows, 2 Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler and a Redstart and a Black Redstart. Offshore a Little Tern south and 4 Common Terns north.

8 birds were ringed; 2 Firecrests and single Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Redstart and Great Tit.

Goldie Recoveries

We don't get a huge return on the Goldfinchs we ring but the following have just come in. One ringed here 19th October 2011 was retrapped by a ringer 607km away at Coolcush, Tyrone, Northern Ireland on 6th March 2013 & one ringed here on 21st September 2012 was killed by a cat 562km away at Vineuell, Indre, France on 25th March 2013.

Monday 29th April 2013

Cool north-westerlies is not what we want at this time of the year. Saying that a respectable number of migrants knocking about including 10 Willows, 7 Wheatear, 6 Whitethroat, 5 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffs, 3 Lesser 'throats, Robin, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Nightingale & Skylark. On the move offshore not a lot with 5 Golden Plover south the highlight. Going south overhead 28 Swallows, 27 Goldfinch, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Rook, 2 Jackdaw & 2 Yellow Wags. Late news concerns 2 Honey Buzzards north over the dock in the afternoon.

20 birds ringed: 8 Willows, 5 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Linnets, Lesser 'throat & Chiffchaff.

Sunday 28th April 2013

Sharp frost followed by a fine sunny morning. Not to many migrants on site to disturb us with a big clear out of migrants from recent days. A couple of continental Songies new in as well as single Firecrest, Black Red, female Redstart, Blackcap, Whitethroat & Willow Warbler. Just 8 Wheatears this morning. A couple of Whitethroats & Lesser 'throats are now holding territories on the reserve. Offshore deadly quiet & overhead 13 Goldfinch & 6 Swallows went south.

6 birds ringed: 2 Song Thrush, 1 Firecrest, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Greenfinch.