Monday, April 25, 2011

A Funny Old Morning

It started off with a fine, clear sky and the promise of a scorcher as I met Will at Out Rawcliffe, following my lie in until 0530. Mist nets were up in good time but then at 8am the cloud increased from the south west and brought with it a blanket of mist of such intensity it was almost fog. At 0905 the mist cleared as quickly as it had set in, but by then it was too late, the murk had put paid to the possibility of much happening bird wise. We caught just 9 birds, 5 new and 4 recaptures. The new birds were 2 Whitethroat and 1 each of Chaffinch, Goldfinch and a Tree Pipit to add variety to our 2011 totals.

Tree Pipit

Tree Pipit

Today’s recaptures were 2 Willow Warblers, a Chaffinch and a Whitethroat.

Chaffinch

The strange old weather also put a stop to visible migration, with just a single Lesser Redpoll and a dozen or so Swallows heading north.

Other birds lingering in the mist this morning were 1 Jay, 1 Kestrel and a single Wheatear that defied our efforts to catch it with the usually trustworthy spring traps. Yes, a funny old morning.

Wheatear

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