This week

A number of sites were checked this week.
Mainly big boxes and Swallow nests. The Swallow's seem pretty slow starting at the moment with either very small young or still with eggs.It must be a combination of late arrival and poor weather.
At one site a dead female was found under a nest with the male looking from the nest forlornly on.

A very sad sight

The male looks on

Some of the boxes had Barn Owls in either with very small young or eggs, one box contained only one chick with 4 dead Voles and a mole. Another box contained the  remains of a Moorhen.

A couple of the other boxes had Stock Doves in, one with eggs and the other with 2 young.

Stock Dove pulli

While visiting the farm's etc. you never know who might be watching you ! 

I spy with my little eye..

We had a tip off from Ted at Horning that the Oystercatchers had hatched and were still on his marsh, so we made a visit to see what was going down. On arrival Ted told us where he had seen the chicks and offered to lend us his all terrain vehicle, so off we went. The first things we saw were a pair of Redshank with 3 large young, we watched for a while then moved in to find the chicks. After a half hour searching we gave up very despondently with none found and marvelling at their amazing disappearing act. In the meantime the Oykes were doing nothing.

We decided to go away and come back in half an hour.. When we came back they were still doing nothing !

We eventually decided to have a look to see what was going on, again nothing was found. Then as if by magic  just as we were going to give up  one chick was found then the other. The cold and wet did not seem that bad after all !

Doing there best to look like Sheep sh-t

Worth the effort

Saturday 12th saw the group at Martham again , we would like to welcome  a new trainee on board, Sharon.

The nets were again erected on the Friday night, beforehand we met at Tony's garden to ring a brood of Greenfinch and Collared Dove.

Greenfinch pulli

The session produced 31 new birds and 5 retraps.

Wren 2 (2)

Dunnock 1

Robin 7 (3) one originally ringed 25/04/2007

Blackbird 1

Whitethroat 1

Chiffchaff 2

Long-tailed Tit 12, 9 were Juveniles.

Great Tit 2

Chaffinch 1

Bullfinch 2

Juvenile Long-tail