Recent Ringing Recoveries

Blackbird ringed here 06/11/2012 retrapped 286km away at Reddingbootpad, Vlieland, The Netherlands on 01/11/2015. Wood Pigeon ringed here 17/09/2015 shot 45km away at Maldon, Essex on 07/02/2016. Also received a couple of Greenfinch ringed here last summer retrapped 12km up the coast at Alderton last autumn & a Goldcrest from last autumn also wandering just up the coast to Alderton a few days later.

Saturday 12th March 2016

The first Chiffchaff of the spring turned up this morning along with a handful of new Blackies, a couple of Goldcrest & a few new expected odds & sods including 2 Redwing & Rock Pipit on the point. Fieldfare still on site but no reports of the Snow Bunt so far. Offshore 35 Barnacle Geese went south & 8 Brent north. Overhead 4 Mipit, 2 Skylark, Siskin & a couple of Grey Wags went south (one of which kindly dropped in). Later in the afternoon a fine male Stonechat was in the beach bushes and 3 Long-tailed Tits at the observatory. Montage of typical moths for the time of the year are Common Quaker, March Moth & Hebrew Character.

11 birds ringed: 4 blackbird, 2 goldcrest, 1 grey wagtail, 1 chaffinch, 1 dunnock, 1 robin, 1 chiffchaff

Friday 11th March 2016

A handful of new migrants on site as evidenced by the ringing figures giving an indication of the species on the move. Offshore northbound 85 Black-headed Gull, 4 Brent, Red-throated Diver, Shelduck & Curlew with southbound 42 Barnacle Geese. 3 Jackdaw came in from the north then returned from whence they came and a solitary Rook went north. Fieldfare & Goldcrest still loitering with the Snow Bunting remaining on the beach.

9 birds ringed: 3 blackbird, 2 song thrush, 1 greenfinch, 1 robin, 1 dunnock, 1 great tit

Thursday 10th March 2016

Coltsfoot is an early species that is unusual in that its flowers come out first before the leaves emerge. 

A much better day today, with light winds and pleasant sunshine, which has helped bird activity. A few Blackbirds and Song Thrushes are beginning to come through now, along with half a dozen Skylark and close on 100 Starlings, looking to head off back to their breeding grounds. Whilst the Snow Bunting still remains near the point.

4 Birds were ringed, 2 Blackbird,1 Song Thrush and a Greenfinch.  

Wednesday 9th March 2016

A day of onshore gales and heavy rain (looks like spring is just round the corner), produced little except a fall of 35 Redwing and a Lapwing (above). Little else apart from the Snow Bunting, which is still out near the point. Offshore 65 Brent Geese south, 11 Barnacle Geese, also south, and a couple of Gannets, and that was about it for today.

Ringing produced 16 birds, all of them Redwing.  

Tuesday 8th March 2016

Signs of spring migration in the shape of the first new Goldcrest of the year trapped, Snow Bunting & Rock Pipit near the point, 4 Mipits heading south, 2 wandering Long-tailed Tits quickly passing through & a new young female Sparrowhawk. 2 Fieldfare are still on site plus at least one Turnstone.

Ringing: 1 goldcrest, 1 sparrowhawk

Monday 7th March 2016

Sub-zero with a dusting of snow covering the place this morning. Skylark heading north is this mornings migrant. Offshore a couple of Red-throated Divers & Great-crested Grebes were on the move although the strong sunshine deterred any prolonged watching. 2 Fieldfare still here & 2 Turnstone were near the point. Roll on spring !

Sunday 6th March 2016

Winter still has not quite left us yet, so still little to report, apart from the 2 Fieldfares are still on site, along with the Goldcrest. Offshore around 200 Cormorants flew north first thing from their roost, and very small numbers of both Red-throated Divers and Great-crested Grebes are lingering close inshore.