Tuesday 17 July 2012

Kvismare fågelstation, Sweden - Day 5

juvenile female Whinchat
Limited white in base of primary coverts and inner median and greater coverts sex this as female.
Garden Warbler
Craig and a juvenile Sedge Warbler
My first caught Grass Snake (don't worry, we didn't put a ring on it!)

A really enjoyable CES this morning with 59 birds being caught at Vallen. The weather was really nice, so lots of snakes were basking including lots of Adders and many Grass Snake. Ringing highlights came in the form of a stunning juvenile female Whinchat. I really wasn't expecting to catch one of these so my eyes lit up when I pulled it out of the bird bag. I was really surprised how big it was!
Other species caught were: Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Fieldfare and Thrush Nightingale. The most regularly caught species was Reed Warbler with lots of juveniles being caught every net round.
If the weather is right this evening, we intend on trying to catch some waders as wader passage seems obvious over the past 24 hours. Here's hoping!

3 comments:

Nikola D.A. said...

Nice ringing :)) How did you catch the grass snake ?

Zac Hinchcliffe said...

saw it on the grass and grabbed it! Easy as that haha

Nikola D.A. said...

They usualy are very fast :D