This Blackcap was the highlight of the morning's ringing as it bore a fresh looking Danish ring; it could be a late Scandinavian migrant on its way further south or maybe more likely a bird from the population that comes to the UK specifically to spend the winter - typically from eastern Europe.
Calm again first thing but a bit mizzly, it soon brightened up though to produce another pleasant day; birds on the land comprised a few Thrushes first thing, a Blackcap (complete with Danish ring), 5 Brambling, 7 Chaffinches, 39 Goldfinches, 19 Linnets, 14 Meadow Pipits, 2 Redpolls, 3 Rock Pipits, 54 Siskins, 6 Skylark, 6 Snow Buntings, another late Swallow south and a Short-eared Owl which came in off the sea mid-morning.
The sea produced a Bar-tailed Godwit, 9 Brent Geese, 97 Common Scoter, 4 Gannets, a Great-crested Grebe, a Red-breasted Merganser, 13 Red-throated Divers, a Razorbill and 21 Shelduck.
Ringing: Redpoll 1, Blackbird 4, Redwing 1, Song Thrush 1, Dunnock 1, Jay 2
Red-line Quaker is common in areas of Willows and, as such, is infrequently with us