Winterton Ringing

Ringing continues at Winterton this Autumn with mixed catches. The last two Saturdays have produced 74 new and 8 retraps on the 15th and 31 new and 9 retraps on the 22nd. 
The highlight has been  the number of Reed Bunting we have been catching in a net ride of small bushes out in the middle of nowhere, 16 so far this October with no retraps! Also on 22nd an 'Abietinus' race Chiffchaff was caught.  

 1st. Winter (3) female Reed Bunting

                             15th Oct                    22nd Oct  
                                   (Retraps in brackets)

Meadow Pipit          1                                2

Wren                       8 (1)                          5 (2)
                                                                  one from 29/09/2007

Dunnock                 1 (1)

Robin                    12                                1 (1)

Blackbird              13 (2) one ringed as a 1st Winter 30/09/2007

Song Thrush            3                                2

Redwing                                                    1 

Blackcap                 3                                1

Chiffchaff                1                                 2 including 'Abietinus' 

Goldcrest              11                                 3 (3) All recent

Long-tailed Tit        3                                 2

Coal Tit                                                     1

1st Winter (3) Coal Tit 

                            15th Oct                                 22nd Oct

Blue Tit                 2 (2) one from 20/09/2009       2 (1)

Great Tit               6 (1) one ringed 17/09/2006        (2)

Treecreeper          1

Chaffinch              2 (1)  17/10/2010                     1

Bullfinch                1

Siskin                                                                   1  

1st Winter (3) female Siskin 

                             15th Oct                                 22nd Oct

Lesser Redpoll                                                          1

Yellowhammer          1

Reed Bunting            5                                              6

Some interesting tail patterns were seen;

1st. Winter male Blackcap

Quite an assortment ! Reed Bunting

A flock of at least 20 Siskin are present in the area but Redpolls have declined, two of 'our' Redpolls have recently been re trapped at Waxham a journey of 4km. On the morning of the 22nd Tony flushed 3 Woodcock out of the woods while opening the nets.

Common darters are still about and in the sunshine of the 15th both Comma and Red Admiral butterflies were seen sunning themselves.

Little Auk

On Friday 21st  we arrived at the beach car park as normal to erect the nets for the following morning, on returning to the cars we found this unfortunate Little Auk dead! It's breast bone was prominent so we assume it had starved to death.