Migrating flock of 4 Grey Plover, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Knot (Photo: Zsombor Károlyi)
2 of 5 presumed migrating Ospreys
3cy+ Female Great Spotted Woodpecker.
This morning, the weather was awful in terms of ringing with strong wind and regular showers. As a result, we stayed in bed for a short while and I got up to do a spot of vis-mig from the base of the garden. The last 48 hours has been great for waders and raptors migrating with wader flocks being: 30 Bar-wit with 1 Knot; 13 Barwit with 4 Grey Plover and 1 Knot; 9 Golden Plover, 4 Golden Plover, 15 Whimbrel, Green Sandpiper (4 single heading strongly SSW)
In addition to the waders, there has been some obvious Raptor movement with 6 Honey Buzzard seen heading SSW across the reserve with an Adult male and 2 juveniles being successfully aged and sexed. The Black Kite was also seen twice throughout the day, as well as a couple of very high flying White-tailed Eagles (I suppose when you're that big, you need to stay high to avoid being seen)
Whilst watching the skies, some very strange Chaffinch-like calls were coming from a small group of Osprey from the reserve which I can only presume are juveniles? A group of 5 started circling and calling really loudly and always gaining height until they were lost into the clouds! I presume this is post-breeding/post-juvenile dispersal? A further 6 Ospreys were present on the reserve at the same time!
In terms of ringing, Martin, Eric, Butters, Zsombor and I went to Oby Kulle where we set up 4 nets and caught a decent number of birds, which were mainly Great Tits, but a selection of Blue Tit and Marsh Tits, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, Nuthatch and a single female Great Spotted Woodpeckers aged as a 3CY+ based on the bright red eye, and 3 generations of feathers in the primary coverts.
The last Woodpecker I ringed was a Lesser Spot a week ago, so to walk to a net and see a MASSIVE Great Spot was pretty impressive! A nice bird to ring, despite the constant screeching and very sharp claws from a very tight grip!
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