Over the Top

An update on the last 10 days. I was fortunate enough to have time to attend a session of Canon netting on Walney Island a week last Thursday, 2 nets were set and just over 100 waders were caught of 2 species Dunlin (4) and Ringed Plover. A lot of variation within the sexes although the female below didn't cause to many problems. A cracking day out, cant wait til the next one.

Managed to get Mike round to ring the chicks currently in the garden nest boxes. As has always been the case out of 6 boxes only 2 ever seem to get used, with Great Tits occupying a Sparrow box of which 9 chicks (pullus) were rung and Blue Tits having a more traditional box with 4 chicks rung. Now fully fledged  hopefully i will see them returning to the garden. More chicks rung with Prof David Norman at Delamere and down at Woolston, certainly getting my numbers up! Also at Woolston on Saturday were 2 new species to ring a Song Thrush and a Garden Warbler, which i had to think about when taking it from the bag, very different in the hand.

Now todays news. Got an early dart for the departed Least Sandpiper and Old Moor RSPB, should have gone yesterday but let frustration get in the way? If something could have made the day worthwhile it was the Short-eared Owl i watched for a couple of hours hunting and feeding 2 possibly 3 chicks up on Woodhead Pass.