Again today was a double effort day with Mick Briggs training his trainee "The apprentice" Dave Vincent at Aylmer Avenue whilst George Gregory was continuing his prolonged ringing session at the Observatory. This resulted in 102 Birds processed, including 70 New birds and 32 Retraps.
The days catch was made up thus (New/Retrap) - (1/3) Wren, (5/3) Dunnock, (1/0) Lesser Whitethroat, (0/2) Whitethroat, (19/1) Blackcap, (4/2) Chiffchaff, (1/0) Willow Warbler, (11/2) Goldcrest, (14/4) Long Tailed Tit, (1/3) Blue Tit, (2/4) Great Tit, (1/0) Chaffinch, (9/7) Greenfinch, (0/1) Goldfinch and (1/0) Reed Bunting.
A long over due Long Tailed Tit flock was caught at Aylmer Avenue whilst another 19 New Blackcaps ringed was an incredible result after 14 New Blackcaps yesterday, that makes 33 different Blackcaps present over the weekend, just around the ringing sites which are tiny in comparison to the size of the reserve. There must literally be hundreds present across the reserve as a whole.
Also reported on the 25th September 2011 were -
x3 Red Throated Diver
x20 Brent Goose (South)
x2 Pintail
x1 Common Pochard
x7 Teal
x11 Common Scoter (South)
x3 Grey Heron
x1 Mediterranean Gull (Adult winter plumage into roost with Black Headed Gulls)
x6 Gannet (South)
x3 Guillemot
x1 Great Skua
x2 Artic Skua
x2 Common Tern
x50+ Sandwich Tern
x250 Golden Plover
x1 Wheatear
x2 Yellow Wagtail
