We caught four of these little gems in Flommen on Tuesday; two first-year males and two first-year females. The females, despite having completed their post-juvenile moult (which involved all body feathers, tertials, and wing coverts including 7–8 greater coverts), still look extremely juvenile-like.
Talking of tits, the Blue Tits arrived in force yesterday. We got off lightly with 40 at Flommen... the lighthouse suffered with almost 150 of the little blighters!
With them came this Marsh Tit; only about the 9th record on the peninsula in the last decade.
We also ringed another Water Rail.
The afternoon was spent raptor-watching at the station. We clocked up an impressive 12 species of raptor in a few hours: Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Rough-legged Buzzard (x2), Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite (lots), Black Kite (x2), White-tailed Eagle (x1), Golden Eagle (x1), and a female Pallid Harrier. The non-raptor highlight was a flock of 26 White Storks.
However, the best bird from my point of view was a species that has long eluded me: Nutcracker. A single bird gave good views as it flew by, not that you'd believe that from the photograph.
However, the best bird from my point of view was a species that has long eluded me: Nutcracker. A single bird gave good views as it flew by, not that you'd believe that from the photograph.
It was resting bird count time again this afternoon; the north of the peninsula was generally rather quiet with a Short-eared Owl and a Black Tern being the highlight. Back at the station, we added another two raptor species to our list: Hobby and Peregrine. An impressive 17 species of raptor had been seen on the peninsula today; the only ones we didn't see were Hen Harrier, Merlin and Lesser Spotted Eagle.
Wednesday was quiet with just 19 birds of four species ringed during the standardised ringing (totals online — click Ringing), though we did catch a 1cy Common Snipe in the wader cages.
They had better luck at the lighthouse; this 1cy Red-breasted Flycatcher was the star bird there.
And today? With a steady wind of 30-odd mph (gusting to 50), we've spent most of the day curled up in the house catching up with emails.
Despite the pretty photos of nice species, I can't help but feeling my recent blogs have been quite boring ”I've ringed this and seen that.” Again. I've got plenty of photos to write about e.g. Red-breasted Flycatcher identification, Marsh Tit subspecies, Penduline Tit moult, and Common Snipe ageing. Maybe I'll give them an airing next time the weather turns bad...
Wednesday was quiet with just 19 birds of four species ringed during the standardised ringing (totals online — click Ringing), though we did catch a 1cy Common Snipe in the wader cages.
They had better luck at the lighthouse; this 1cy Red-breasted Flycatcher was the star bird there.
And today? With a steady wind of 30-odd mph (gusting to 50), we've spent most of the day curled up in the house catching up with emails.
Despite the pretty photos of nice species, I can't help but feeling my recent blogs have been quite boring ”I've ringed this and seen that.” Again. I've got plenty of photos to write about e.g. Red-breasted Flycatcher identification, Marsh Tit subspecies, Penduline Tit moult, and Common Snipe ageing. Maybe I'll give them an airing next time the weather turns bad...
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