Spring has sprung

At last we have had a couple of mist netting sessions for any migrants that may be about, finally showing that Spring has sprung.
The first session was at Winterton on 4th May, with 29 new birds and 3 retraps being processed.
It was nice getting 3 Garden Warbler, a species we seldom catch.

Garden Warbler

Wren  4
Dunnock  1 (1) originally ringed 07/04/12
Blackbird  1
Whitethroat  1
Garden Warbler  3
Blackcap  7 (1) Great to get a returning bird , this one from the Spring before, 05/05/12
Chiffchaff  6
Willow Warbler 3
Great Tit  2 (1) Originally ringed 10/10/10
Reed Bunting  1

Willow Warbler

We also had a bit of  net maintenance to sort out on site, Dave had dropped it in bracken a couple of years ago !

 It had only just came to light, but it beggars the question as to how many ringers it takes to sort one net out ?

Job creation ?

The second session was at Martham woods and a small fishing pit nearby on 11th May.

This produced  38 new birds ,3 retraps , a control and our first pulli of the year in the shape of 2 Tawny Owl.

Tawny Owl, these had 2 young Rats in the box for lunch.

Wren  7

Dunnock  4

Robin   2 (1) from 25/04/11

Sedge Warbler 6

Reed Warbler  3

Whitethroat  4

Blackcap  2

Chiffchaff 5

Blue Tit  1

Great Tit  2 (1) from 01/05/10

Treecreeper (1) originally ringed 25/04/11

Goldfinch  1 (1 control) With a French/Paris ring on, our first from France.

Reed Bunting 1

Male Whitethroat

The biggest surprise of the year so far was the ringing of an adult Buzzard at Hickling, this was a truly awesome encounter and was a first adult any of us had seen in the hand !

Adult Buzzard

On our trips we have managed seeing a few insects with the first Speckled Woods,  Large Red  and Blue Tailed Damselflies being seen at Martham on 11th.

Speckled Wood.