Yesterday I was down at Linacre for a 4 hour ringing session with 3 other members of Sorby Breck Ringing Group. We had a steady morning, with 41 birds of 11 species.
Numbers were as follows (new/retrap): Blue Tit 6/7, Great Tit 7/5, Long-tailed Tit 1/2, Coal Tit 3/1, Redwing 1/0, Blackbird 1/0, Wren 1/1, Bullfinch 2/0, Chaffinch 1/0 and Jay 1/0.
Welcome to my blog all about my birdwatching, wild bird ringing activities and moth recording at Linacre Reservoirs, Derbyshire; in Great Britain and abroad.
Monday, 25 November 2019
Saturday, 23 November 2019
Linacre WeBS - 23rd November 2019
For the first time this month here's a blog that actually involves Linacre Reservoirs, and not too many Black-headed Gulls!!
I spent an hour and a half down at Linacre this morning (in the rain), carrying out this month's WeBS walk. It was very quiet with the following birds recorded: Mallard (65), Mandarin Duck (5), Tufted Duck ( just 4!), Coot (2), Moorhen (10), Great-crested Grebe (1), Cormorant (2) and Black-headed Gull (40).
The woods were pretty quiet too, with a few Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits about. The highlight, however, was a single "wheeting" Chiffchaff seen in the willows by the middle reservoir.
I spent an hour and a half down at Linacre this morning (in the rain), carrying out this month's WeBS walk. It was very quiet with the following birds recorded: Mallard (65), Mandarin Duck (5), Tufted Duck ( just 4!), Coot (2), Moorhen (10), Great-crested Grebe (1), Cormorant (2) and Black-headed Gull (40).
The woods were pretty quiet too, with a few Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits about. The highlight, however, was a single "wheeting" Chiffchaff seen in the willows by the middle reservoir.
Sunday, 17 November 2019
Pomarine Skua!!
We had a trip over to the Grey Seal colony at Donna Nook in Lincolnshire today. We had super views of the seals, including males, females and pups.
Whilst looking at the seals, however, we were amazed to see an adult Pomarine Skua flying over our heads! It landed amongst the seals, about 20m away, and began to eat the afterbirths from the 800+ pups.
Year List update:
194 - Pomarine Skua
Whilst looking at the seals, however, we were amazed to see an adult Pomarine Skua flying over our heads! It landed amongst the seals, about 20m away, and began to eat the afterbirths from the 800+ pups.
Pomarine Skua
Year List update:
194 - Pomarine Skua
Saturday, 16 November 2019
Alvaston Park - 16th November 2019
A couple of weeks ago I was in Alvaston Park, and spotted the Danish ringed Black-headed Gull VA4073, (see here). I was back there again today, and saw it again.
Whilst there I also spotted a new-for-me Polish ringed bird, TLPN. This bird, originally ringed in Poland on 8th June 2019, as a pullus, was first seen here on 12th October 2019. It was very confiding, and I managed to get some lovely pictures.
Other birds seen were: 8 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Stock Dove, 20+ Canada Geese, Tufted Ducks, Coot, Moorhen, Mute Swan (8) and Common Gull (at least 3).
VA4073
Whilst there I also spotted a new-for-me Polish ringed bird, TLPN. This bird, originally ringed in Poland on 8th June 2019, as a pullus, was first seen here on 12th October 2019. It was very confiding, and I managed to get some lovely pictures.
TLPN
One metal ringed bird was also seen. Unfotunately, this bird, also a first winter bird (born this year), was only seen briefly, and I was only able to read the first digit of its ring, 2 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ before it flew off. Another time perhaps!
2 _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Common Gulls
Saturday, 9 November 2019
Gulls, Gulls, Gulls!!!
I spent just over an hour in Rufford Country Park this afternoon and saw 6 colour ringed Black-headed Gulls and 1 metal ringed bird!
Three of the colour ringed birds, 217A, 227A and 232A, were British ringed and had been ringed by ringers from Sorby Breck and Birklands Ringing Groups. I have recorded 217A here before, on 3rd February 2019 (see here), whereas 227A and 232A were new birds for me.
Three of the colour ringed birds, 217A, 227A and 232A, were British ringed and had been ringed by ringers from Sorby Breck and Birklands Ringing Groups. I have recorded 217A here before, on 3rd February 2019 (see here), whereas 227A and 232A were new birds for me.
217A
I don't yet know where and when 227A was ringed, but 232A was ringed just a couple of kilometres away, as a first winter bird, at Center Parcs on 30/10/19.
227A
232A
The metal ringed bird, EL87245, was also British-ringed, so I'll send off details and update the blog when I hear back.
The other 3 darviced gulls were all known birds, namely EUM3 (Dutch ringed and seen on every visit since August), P519 (Lithuanian ringed see here and here) and V77K (Danish ringed bird, first seen here in February 2019 see here and my first sighting of the winter.)
V77K
UPDATE: The metal-ringed gull EL87245 was ringed on 02/01/13, by Birklands Ringing Group, 3km away.
Saturday, 2 November 2019
Danish Gull VA4073 Returns
A quick trip to Alvaston Park in Derby today looking for gulls produced a Danish-ringed bird, VA4073, a bird that I first saw here in November 2018 (see here), and again in February 2019 (see here). The bird was born and ringed on the island on Hirsholm, Denmark on 26th May 2018 (911km away). When I first saw it, it was in 1st winter plumage, with a few juvenile feathers remaining, and looked like this.
VA4073 in November 2018
It looked very similar in February 2019.
VA4073 in February 2019
Today, after having undergone a full moult, the juvenile feathers were gone, and it looked like this.
VA4073 today
Norfolk Birds
Jayne and I were in Norfolk for a few days this week. We visited RSPB Titchwell on Tuesday, where we spotted all the usual suspects, including my first year tick, Red-throated Diver, since 1st September.
We stayed in Blakeney, and had a few walks around the marshes there. Bearded Tits were seen in the reeds by the main path, and gave some great views. Other birds seen here included; Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed, Great Black-backed and Herring Gull, Marsh Harrier and Brent and Pink-footed Geese
Year List update:
192 - Red-throated Diver
193 - Great Skua
We stayed in Blakeney, and had a few walks around the marshes there. Bearded Tits were seen in the reeds by the main path, and gave some great views. Other birds seen here included; Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed, Great Black-backed and Herring Gull, Marsh Harrier and Brent and Pink-footed Geese
Bearded Tit
I also spotted a couple of Muntjac Deer in a nearby garden, including this female.
Muntjac Deer
On the 30th I had a couple of hours sea watching at Cley, where I managed to see Gannets, Guillemots, Ringed Plover, Red and Black-throated Divers, and, best of all, a very distant Great Skua (year list).
Our last trip was to the marshes at Burnham Overy, where we spotted Little and Great White Egret (2), Redshank, Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Curlew and a Kingfisher.
192 - Red-throated Diver
193 - Great Skua
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