The days catch was made up thus (New/Retrap) - (3/2) Dunnock, (1/0) Reed Warbler, (1/0) Lesser Whitethroat, (2/6) Whitethroat, (0/2) Blue Tit, (1/1) Great Tit, (1/0) Jackdaw, (0/1) Greenfinch, (0/1) Goldfinch and (1/1) Reed Bunting.
The Jackdaw is the first adult of the year and not a bird that we manage to catch that often, indeed this is only the fourth adult Jackdaw ever caught for the Observatory! They always seem to be attracted to the feeding station at this time of year and nearly always feed upon any spilt sunflower seed.
Interestingly there was the first young Dunnock on the wing over at the Observatory, hopefully the first of many, it would look like it will be a good breeding season for most species with the exception, in this area at least of Blackbird. The extremely dry conditions must be making finding worms pratically impossible with areas of open grass being completly baked dry and most short grass being a incredible shade of brown rather than green!
Indeed the Sea Buckthorn on the Storm Ridge is looking in particularly bad shape with the water table clearly being so low that the plants upon popping their leaves out, have simply died again. Whether they will come back from this with wetter conditions, I don't know? If not then it certainly puts the future of the Storm Ridge plants community in jeopardy!
Also Reported on the 27th May 2011 were -
x1 Spoonbill (Jacksons)
x1 Little Tern
x1 Glaucous Gull (Offshore - probably the smae as a few days ago)
x1 Storm Petrel (In from the North before landing on sea and then flying off South - probably the first Spring record for Gib!)
Various seabirds including Gannets, Fulmars, Terns and Auks active offshore in the strong winds
x2 Whimbrel
x1 Marsh Harrier
x1 Red Kite (Before 10am this morning and then over Croft Marsh heading North at 1850)
x1 Barn Owl
x1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
x1 Jay
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| Jackdaw ringed on the 27th May 2011 - just the fourth adult ever for the Obs! Photo - George Gregory  Photo - Mick Briggs |
