Tuesday 14 August 2012

Kvismare fågelstation, Sweden - Day 33

1CY Willow Tit (with presumably a new tail being grown after an attack/accidental loss?) - My favourite bird!
1cy Lesser Whitehtorat wing - general overall freshness with 3/10 unmoulted Greater Coverts
1cy Lesser Whitehtroat tail with 5th Primary (2nd from left and right) lacking a white tip)
3cy+ male White Wagtail (don't get a chance to catch these at home really, so thought I'd blog it again!)

Ringing took place today at Ässön at dawn where we set 19 nets. The day started off really slowly with several 1/2 bird net rounds which was very hard work on a cold morning. Luckily the wind dropped slightly and the birds started to move with a total of 111 new birds and 7 recaps. Highlights were 1cy Willow Tit, 1cy Goldcrest (first of season), Lesser Whitethroat and 44 Willow Warbler (inc. 2 retrap). There is also a retrap Thrush Nightingale that we keep catching almost every visit, which is nice to see it's Post-juvenile moult progress.

Totals for the morning were: (recaps in brackets)
Reed Warbler - 15 (2)
Sedge Warbler - 6 (1)
Willow Warbler - 42 (2)
Garden Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 1 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Whitethroat - 1
Blackbird - 1
Song Thrush - 1
Thrush Nightingale - (1)
Blue Tit - 7
Great Tit - 18
Willow Tit - 1
White Wagtail - 6
Reed Bunting - 3
Swallow - 2
Robin - 3
Wren - 2
Goldcrest - 1 (first for season)

Non-ringing highlights came in the form of something that was almost a ringing highlight, as a flock of 15+ Northern Long-tailed Tit almost brushed the top shelf of one of our nets! This is the first time I've see the caudatus race of Long-tailed Tit and I can't quite think of a cuter bird I have ever seen if I'm honest! Stunning in every way!

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