Ringing on 6th May 2011

George ringed over at the Observatory today and processed just 5 birds including 2 New birds and 3 Retraps.

  The catch was made up thus (New/Retrap) - (1/0) Robin, (1/0) Blackbird, (0/1) Lesser Whitethroat and (0/2) Whitethroat.

George has caught several New Blackbirds at the Observatory in the last few days, where these birds are coming from are a mystery? By now we would expect all breeding Blackbirds on the reserve to be retraps only, so to be catching these New birds is somewhat of a mystery.
  Could it be that they are actually late migrants on their return journey to Scandinavia etc?

Another cracking day for the birders on th erserve today with the following reported on the 6th May 2011 -

x2 Red Kites (south am)
x3 Buzzards
x3 Sparrowhawks
x2 Kestrel
x1 Hobby (south)
x4 Ruff,
x4 Black Tailed Godwit
x50 Avocet
x6 Whimbrel
x1 Curlew Sandpiper (Tennysons Sands in the evening)
x1 Stone Curlew (Briefly on the North Saltings in the morning)
x15 Swift (south)
x1 Red Rumped Swallow (south at 10.18)
x8 Siskin
x8 Crossbill

Also 13 Species of Butterfly recorded today including Green Hairstreaks everywhere!