Roll on April!

Thought I best bring you all up to speed before we get into April, when it will probably all kick off on the migration front...  mind you it looks like it already has!

I was at work most of today, so missed Bun's male Redstart on Beer Head and the Osprey that flew up river mid afternoon (seems to have been several of these arrive on south coast today). A quick look around as the sun set though showed a big increase of hirundines in the valley, with 70+ Sand Martins and about five Swallows feeding over Colyford and Bridge Marsh.

Yesterday morning I enjoyed leading a tram trip along the Estuary, with six Sand Martins north, a Wheatear (my first female of the year), a Greenshank, a Dunlin and two male Shoveler the highlights...

Female Wheatear

Redshank and Greenshank (now in summer plumage)

Male Stonechat on the tram overhead!

Don't get many Wren photos so thought this was worth posting!

A couple of evenings prior to this I spent some time at our only remaining reliable Little Owl site. Great to see at least one still hanging on...

The distinctive shape of a Little Owl with a stunning orange sky backdrop

And that brings me up to date with my local bird news. April it is over to you...

More Garden Ringing

I caught 40 birds in the front garden yesterday morning - there are young Greenfinches all over the place this year, and I ringed another three fresh Bullfinches!

Four of the birds I caught were birds I haven't ringed in the garden before. There were two of these...

I'd expect to catch Blackcaps in the garden during the winter - but not in July! Both were second year males

One of these...

We rarely see Wren's in the garden - so when I heard this one calling from some shrubs I was rather surprised. And very pleased it ended up in my net :-)

Lastly - and surprisingly only one - of these...

I just love handling these little darlings, they are all tail and feathers!