Mist nets out again

I haven't been able to get out mist netting since 20th April, due to a mixture of awful weather and other commitments, so I was really pleased to get out with the Sorby Breck bunch this morning and put up a few mist nets at the private site in Wingerworth, Chesterfield. Although the morning started slowly, by the end of the session, we'd managed a very respectable 29 birds including my first Willow Tit and Bullfinch of the year.

Willow Tit

First bird out of the nets today was a female Great-spotted Woodpecker. As well as this individual we also enjoyed watching a pair visiting a nest site in the garden.

Great-spotted Woodpecker

A pair of Bullfinches soon followed, and I was lucky enough to find the male bird in the bird bags. 2 Willow Tits also found there way into the nets, along with their cousins, the Blue, Coal and Great Tits. Summer migrants were present all morning with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Swallow and Swift heard singing and seen flying over, but the only one that found itself being ringed today was a male Blackcap. Add to this a few Dunnocks, Chaffinches and Robins and a good mornings ringing was all too soon over again.

My totals were (new/retrap): Bullfinch 1/0, Great Tit 1/1, Willow Tit 1/0, Coal Tit 1/0, Robin 1/0, Chaffinch 1/0 and Dunnock 1/0.

As well as the birds we also spotted a Long-horn moth on the gravel path. See here for some information about them.

Long-horn Moth