A Ringing Day

The bird ringers day started at 0700 hours and it was very cold.  However, the view over the lake was stunning.

Just to show how cold it was some of the ponds were covered in ice.

Whilst some nets were being raised other net rides were prepared ready for CES, which begins at the end of April.  Hammer, spike and oil can were all important tools to get the job completed.  Warm gloves would have been useful too, to hold the very cold net poles!

Brambling and Bullfinch were singing loudly in the shrubs near to the Field Centre, whislt a Robin, sitting high in a tree, added his song.

In the ringing room, more Bullfinches were ringed.  They are all showing impressive plumage as they come into breeding condition.  This male Bullfinch was spectacular.

All week we have watched flocks of Brambling in the back garden.  Today some received their rings.  It was discussed that the northerly winds had prevented them heading north to Scandinavia.  As they prepare for their long journey they build up fat reserves and we were able to record how much fat they had stored.  A male Brambling was returned to the ringing room with a ring, which was rather unusual.  ACE were the letters on the ring, one of our rings? No, so this bird was a control, meaning that it was ringed elsewhere.  Details were available on the BTO data website and we were able to establish that it had been ringed as a juvenile in 2018, making it 4 year old.  We  will hopefully find out where it was ringed.

It was a stunning bird.

Unfortunately the weather had not read the weather forecast and the wind increased so the nets were brought in early.  It was a good day with beautiful birds being processed.  Thanks to the bird ringers and to Mark and Chris for some of the photographs.