Dutch-ringed Redwing at Linacre

 Every year, we try to catch some of the Redwings, that spend the winter months in Britain. This morning, we (Sorby Breck Ringing Group), were at Linacre before light to set up the nets and see if we could get lucky. By the end of the morning, we had ringed 8 birds (of about 30 in the area), including our first ever foreign-ringed bird, a juvenile ringed in Holland. Further details of exactly where and when, to follow when I hear back. UPDATE: the Redwing had been ringed 510km away, in The Netherlands, 8 days before it was caught at Linacre. Fantastic!! 

Dutch-ringed Redwing

Birds ringed were (new/retraps) : Redwing 7/1, Blackbird 1/0, Great Tit 8/0, Blue Tit 7/1, Coal Tit 2/1, Long-tailed Tit 2/0, Treecreeper 1/0, Wren 1/0, Chaffinch 1/0, Bullfinch 1/0 and Goldcrest 5/0.

Whilst there we also spotted a few other birds: Cormorant (1 over), Raven (1 heard), Tawny Owl (heard first thing), Jay ( 2 seen), Skylark (1 heard), Buzzard (1 over) and Sparrowhawk (2; a male and female hunting the Redwing!!).

Linacre WeBS - 15th October 2023

There was a real autumnal, if not wintery, feel to the air at Linacre this morning, as I arrived just before 7am, for the monthly WeBS count. It was just 2 degrees, and sheltered spots had a covering of frost. As always, October's WeBS count sees the highest waterbird counts for some months, and today's count did not disappoint.

Birds seen were: Mandarin Duck (166 - highest count of the year), Mallard (139 - highest count since January, when 141 were counted), Tufted Duck (47 - highest count since February, when 53 were seen), Teal (1fm), Coot (7), Moorhen (14),Great-crested Grebe (4; 2 adults and 2 juveniles), Little Grebe (1 adult), Grey Wagtail (1), Pied Wagtail (1), Grey Heron (1) and the first returning Black-headed Gulls (38).

Black-headed Gulls

Other birds heard or seen: Raven (1 heard), Magpie (1), Skylark (1 heard), Long-tailed Tit (flock of c.15), Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird, Robin and Tawny Owl (1 heard).

Despite the cold weather, it was also very sunny, and I spotted 2 butterflies on the wing, 1 Red Admiral and 1 Small Tortoiseshell - my latest ever sightings.

Lesser Yellowlegs!!!!

 This weekend, Jayne and I went across to RSPB Frampton Marsh to try and see a couple of North American waders, that have been present for a couple of weeks. We dipped one (Semipalmated Sandpiper), but we did manage to get fantastic views of the other species, Lesser Yellowlegs (189 and lifer number 4 of the year) as it fed about 10m away, in front of East Hide. What a fantastic bird to catch up with!

Lesser Yellowlegs

Other birds seen were: Little Stint (190th bird of the year), Curlew Sandpiper, Whooper Swan (1), Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail (1fm), Lapwing, Dunlin, Canada, Dark-bellied Brent and Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

There were a few insects flying about, including 1 Red Admiral, 2 Migrant Hawkers, 3 Common Darters, and a very small damselfly, most likely a Willow Emerald Damselfly. 

Linacre Ringing - 8th October 2024

Last weekend, we had a ringing session down at Linacre. We arrived at 6.45am, and, by 11am, we had ringed 47 new birds of 8 species.

Birds ringed were (new/retrap): Blackbird 2/0 (1 juvenile), Song Thrush 2/0 (both juveniles), Blue Tit 12/2, Great Tit 22/1, Coal Tit 1/0 (juvenile), Wren 3/0 (all juveniles), Blackcap 1/0 (juvenile male - weighing in at just over 20g!!) and Chiffchaff 1/0 (adult).

This was, by far, our best session at Linacre this year, with the best birds obviously being our latest ever ringed  Blackcap and Chiffchaff. The two Song Thrushes were also great records, and presumably, relate to locally bred birds.

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Song Thrush

Rufford Gulls - 7th October 2023

 In a couple of hours at Rufford this afternoon ( in 21 degree heat!!) I had my highest number of Black-headed Gulls this season - with 62 present.

2 ringed birds were present: 293A and 254B. Today's sighting of 293A was my 22nd at Rufford, and it looks like it's settled in for another winter.

293A

254B was a nice surprise, as it was only the second record, since ringing (by me!) in October 2022, and my first since February 2023 (see here). I wonder where it's been over the summer.

254B

As well as the gulls, I also saw c.38 Canada Geese, 30 Greylag Geese, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Buzzard.

As the temperature was so high, there were quite a few wasps flying around. I also spotted 1 Red Admiral, 1 Hornet, and, best of all, a male Willow Emerald Damselfly!!! This is my first site record, and very unexpected - great sight!

Willow Emerald Damselfly

Finally, whilst driving down to Rufford, I saw a Swallow flying around Marsh Lane - quite a late record.