Wings!
Friday, August 3rd 2018
Many of us hear the screams of Swifts as they fly overhead searching for insects. Initially they were slow to arrive this year but their numbers have increased more recently. They will soon be heading in the opposite direction on their long journey south once more - their stay in this country is really quite short.
We are all aware of the dangers that plastics pose in our oceans, but they can also be a danger on land. A Swift was seen hanging from a soffit, in a street in Leyburn. The traffic was stopped and a ladder raised to rescue the bird. When it was brought down it was seen to have rubbish, including plastic, wrapped around one of its legs. You can see the material below once it had been very carefully removed. It is likely that this detritus had been in or around the nest because it had been on the leg for some time acting as a tournique. The foot on the affected leg was black and dead but the remainder of the bird was fine although it looked very hungry. The rubbish had prevented it from flying and the bird was entirely dependant on its parents for food.
The juvenile Swift was brought to Foxglove where it was measured and ringed. The wing was 171mm long! It was returned to Leyburn and flew away strongly to rejoin the remainder of its family.
CES 9 had to be rearranged due to the poor weather earlier in the week. When the forecasts had been scrutinised earlier, Friday was the perfect day weatherwise. Unfortunately the forecast changed with rain and possible thunder to arrive early in the afternoon. A careful eye was kept on the billowing clouds but not a drop of rain fell. We were very lucky.
Only five CES 9 days over 26 years have had a better catch than today. In amongst the 245 birds processed were several Chaffinches over four years old. Again most of the birds were juveniles and many were into their post juvenile moult. Some of the male Blackcaps were changing their brown caps, which they have when they fledge, to their adult black one.
It was a delight to see a young Redstart arrive in the ringing room.
There were other winged creatures around. This huge Robin's Pincushion Gall is the home of the larvae of tiny wasps.
Although dull some butterflies were flying and feeding. A Meadow Brown was enjoying the nectar from Knapweed.
On Wednesday we followed a Painted Lady around the orchard, but it was two steps ahead of us all the time. I thought today was going to be the same but then it landed and with a good bit of zoom on the camera I managed to get a photograph.
It was a busy day for the bird ringers, with a 0430 start and a 1715 finish. Thank you to everyone who helped. The birds ringed today pushed the total of new birds ringed on the reserve to over 62 thousand!
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