Thursday 18 April 2013

More migrants back and a Control Chaffinch L5304**

Another morning spent at Waxham and a few more migrants were back. Whitethroats and blackcaps particularly arrived over night, back on the usual territories. Ringing here has shown that many of the birds we get at Waxham in the spring are returning birds rather than migrants passing through. True migrants in spring seem very thin on the ground, most passing up through the west of the country. The grasshopper warbler from the other day is still present, now in full song. It wouldn't surprise me if he is the same bird we ringed last year or the year before because he's singing from exactly the same bush, and sedge patches he did last year.

A control Chaffinch was nice (ring sequence L5304**), unfortunately it had scaly-leg on one leg (the one without the ring). This can occur from mites or from age, hopefully the latter.

Total: 33 birds, 24 new (8 retraps, 1 control)

Blackbird 1
Redwing 1
Song Thrush 1
Robin 4 (2)
Wren 3 (2)
Blackcap 4
Whitethoat 1
Willow Warbler 2 (1)
Chiffchaff 6
Great Tit (2)
Long-taild Tit (1)
Chaffinch 1 (1 control)

1 comment:

  1. Hi Dave
    It sounds like one of our ring numbers from down the road at Winterton.
    Cheers Kevan ENRG.

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