Sunday 22 June 2014

Early ringers' catch the birds!

The Group yesterday were pleasantly surprised to catch 117 birds during a morning session starting at 5.00am. This is one of the largest catches we have caught of passerines and allied species. Not only a good catch, but within this total were 11 Kingfishers, definitely a record for one morning.

There was an abundance of young birds in the catch suggesting a good breeding season. The tally was: Blackbird 4; Great Tit 23; Greenfinch 21; Chiffchaff 7; Chaffinch 6; Blue Tit 15; Dunnock 4; Whitethroat 1; Song Thrush 1; Blackcap 4; Robin 3; Reed Warbler 8; Wren 4; Great Spotted Woodpecker 2; Treecreeper 1; Meadow Pipit 1; Kingfisher 11; and Goldfinch 1.

Let's hope this is a good omen for the rest of the summer season.


Two juvenile Kingfishers with a  male on the left and a female on the right
Photographs  Doug Rudge