A few more Linnets

Another trip to Caister Beach on Saturday 20th April for Linnets resulted in our best day catch ever !
34 new ones , 3 retraps and a control were caught.
 Most of the new birds were 5's (2nd year birds).
The retraps were from 31/03/12 , 14/04/12 and one from this year,the control was L230482.
Most of the males were at last smartening up into their Summer plumage.

5M Linnet

As above , showing 5 tail shape

Vis mig consisted of several Swallow and Sand Martin and  up to 5 Red throated Divers offshore.

More Linnets and more Easterlies

With the biting Easterlies still prevalent in the last couple of weeks there was no surprise that nothing new was going to turn up! 
So we have been concentrating on catching Linnets at Caister.
Dave, Gary and Mick went on Sat 30th March and caught 15 new birds, Dave and I went Sun 7th April  and managed 9 new and 4 retraps, a Porpoise was offshore on this date as well.
The retraps were made up of 2 from 19/03/11, 1 from 24/03/12 and another recently ringed bird. About 35/40 birds were in the area on the 7th but were proving hard to catch.

Caister sunrise.

Dave has also been concentrating some effort in his Rolllesby garden, weather permitting, so far managing a decent total of 80 Siskin and 4 Redpoll and still adding to his totals.

 Adult (6) male Redpoll, photo courtesy of Dave.

Last weekend saw quite a movement of Raptors locally, fortunately I managed to have a few over my Ormesby garden with 11 Buzzard and 2 Red Kite all together on Saturday and a stunning male Hen Harrier on Sunday.

However the Juv White tailed Eagle passed over unnoticed on Saturday.

A Rook was caught in the garden on Sunday , a very underrated bird, superb close up !

Adult Rook

The weekend also saw the first Butterflies at Ormesby with both Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock on the wing.

Small Tortoiseshell