A muggy overcast morning didn't produce much on the bird front. First fledgling wrens of the year were out, joining the gang of young robins, linnets, great tits and starlings on the reserve, providing a crop of inexperienced prey for the local kestrels and magpies. A chiffchaff was still present in the observatory compound, along with whitethroat, lesser whitethroat and Cetti's warbler.
2 curlew south may have been our first 'autumn' birds. Presumably failed breeders or non-breeders that have decided not to bother going to the breeding grounds this year. Not a great sign for a Red listed species. On the wader front, we still have a lingering turnstone and some sanderling in various stages of plumage.
Only one Beautiful Marbled was noted in 2023 so hopefully this early one signifies a better year for them.
Birds Ringed: Linnet 3, Robin 2, Starling 1, Wren 1.