Another cr-p weekend

The weekend loomed with anticipation, until Friday evening when the weather deteriorated. Gale force Northerlies and incessant rain put paid to putting any nets up, Saturday morning, night  and Sunday morning were exactly the same apart from the wind changing to a screaming NE.
There was a brief lull in the afternoon, so out of desperation a 20' net was erected in the garden. Only one bird was caught in 2 hour's !
 However this turned out to be a Lesser Redpoll, a first for the garden !

As usual the weekend has came and went, the wind and rain is now easing and migrants are everywhere !

So its back to work !!!!!

More roosting

We had it in mind to do the roost again but the weather was awful on Monday night. So the plan was to have another attempt on Tuesday night weather permitting!
Tony and I arrived at Martham pits to be greeted with torrential rain above us but to the North of us blue skies and bright sunshine!!!
Then if by magic at 7pm the rain stopped, the wind dropped and two rainbows appeared!

The pot of gold was in the reed bed.

It was a mad dash to put the four nets up and get the music on, almost immediately we were surrounded by Swallows and Reed buntings. About 50/60 Swallows were flying around, the Buntings were roosting in the same place. 

9 Reed Bunting and a Chiffchaff were caught straight away, we took these back to ring, and watch the Swallows go in. Sharon and Justin then arrived just in time to do the ringing.

3J

Adult male 

3J Sand Martin

In the end we managed 30 Swallow and a Sand Martin, all new birds. Hopefully they hang around a little longer and the weather will improve so we can have another go.

Swallow roost

Dave ventured down to Martham Pits on Saturday night to see if any Swallows were about, about 150 were seen flying low over the pits and in the immediate area.
A 'crack' team ! consisting of Dave, Tony and myself was assembled for a roost session the following night (Sunday). About 70 were over the pits and most went in about 19:30, also approximately another 50/60 were seen flying high over the pits but alas kept on going.

Swallows

39 Swallow were ringed, 10 were adults, also 3 Reed Bunting and a Greenfinch.

3J Swallow

A Cettis Warbler was giving it the' biggun ' while we were there and a Tawny owl started up as it got dark.

Another dead Water Rail was found, the second this year ! and no I still haven't managed to ring one yet !!!!

In the garden a superb Privet Hawkmoth Caterpillar was found in the hedge near to a lilac, a very striking beast.

Quiet morning

Another visit on Saturday morning to Winterton proved to be rather quiet. It was rather gloomy to start with but the showers held off, however there was a moderate SW blowing. As last week all the migrants seemed to have moved off during the week again, work gets in the way of everything !

A quiet net ride !

26 new birds and 2 retraps were caught, both retraps were Robins from last week.

Wren 4

Dunnock 1

Robin 1 (2)

Blackcap 1

Chiffchaff 7

Goldcrest 2, First of the Autumn

Coal Tit 1

Blue Tit 5

Great Tit 1

Chaffinch 1

Goldfinch 1

Yellowhammer 1, A recently fledged juvenile.

3M Goldcrest

Adult male Coal Tit

Juvenile Yellowhammer

A Hobby was flying around the car park again, 2 or 3  Sparrowhawks were also flying about.

Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters were still plentiful, a superb Red Underwing moth was also seen.

Red Underwing at rest

Showing the underwing.

Also several Fungi were seen but not fully identified.

Yellowy on top, in the Birch wood.

Club sp.

Very large, Parasol sp. 

At Last

After several weekends of unsettled weather, people on holidays and work commitments it was nice to get out at last and have a ringing session. Unfortunately we had missed the boat again with  migrants going through in the last few weekends.

Saturday 4th September had most of the group arrive at Winterton for 4.45 am, a little bit early as it was still pitch black! But it was dry and a light SSE Blowing, however it seemed very quiet on the bird front.

 Early morning.

The day started slow, with much talk around the table saying ' We should have been here last week'.

 Time to contemplate.

Luckily things picked up and we started catching a few birds, which pleased Dave. 62 new birds and 4 retraps were eventually caught, making a good day. 

 Dave looking happier.

Ringing list, retraps in brackets;

Wren 10

Dunnock 5

Robin 2

Blackbird 2

Grasshopper Warbler 1

Sedge Warbler 1

Reed Warbler 8

Whitethroat 2

Garden Warbler 1

Blackcap 6 (1) ringed 19/09/2009

Chiffchaff 5(1) ringed 04/04/2010

Willow Warbler 4

Blue Tit 13(1) ringed 20/09/2009

Great Tit 1

Goldfinch 1

Bullfinch (1) ringed 23/09/2008

 

 Gropper

 

3J Male Blackcap

A Hobby flew over early morning, Several Migrant Hawkers,Common Darters and a Brown Hawker were seen. A couple of Speckled Woods were around the Oaks.

 Speckled Wood       

 

Migrant Hawker

Also a very strange Fly/Bug was seen on the Oaks, we are hoping someone can come up with a name for it.

What on earth is it !?