Sparrowhawk Ringed

I haven't been out ringing with the mist nets since early May, so I was very pleased to get out yesterday to the private site in Wingerworth, Chesterfield. I was out with 4 other members of the Sorby Breck Ringing Group from 5am 'til increasing wind meant we had to take the nets down at 8.30am, after ringing 37 birds of 8 species (Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, Blackbird, Robin and Dunnock).

The first birds in the nets were the expected Blue and Great Tits, quickly followed by a couple of Great -spotted Woodpeckers (1 adult and 1 juvenile), several adult and juvenile Robins, a single adult Goldfinch, 2 Blackbirds (1 adult and 1 juvenile) and a juvenile Dunnock. The highlight of the morning, however, came in the form of a beautiful male Sparrowhawk that flew straight over mine and Brian's heads into the nets. I managed to extract the bird from the nets (my first time) and Stewart got to ring it as he'd not ringed one before, and I'd already ringed one back in 2013 (see here). We aged the bird as a 5, a bird born last year.

Sparrowhawk close up

In between net rounds we decided to check the owl box, where we'd ringed 2 Tawny Owl pulli earlier in the year (see here). An adult bird and at least 1 youngster has been seen in the garden recently, and it was nice to find an empty box. Hopefully both birds are out there growing and getting stronger.