A Warm Day!

Birds were singing and the Sun was rising as the bird ringers arrived at Foxglove Covert for CES 3.

At this time of year many female birds are sitting on eggs and the males are guarding territories, so it was not expected to be as busy today as it has been in recent weeks.  Over 125 birds were processed including Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Marsh Tit, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch and Nuthatch. 

A surprise was the first juvenile bird of the year to be returned to the ringing room, a Greenfinch.  These youngsters are very noisy as they beg for food from their parents.

Blackcap were also handled.  The male has, as its name suggests, a black cap on its head, whilst the female has a brown cap.  Lesser Redpolls, amazingly. were still in good numbers.

Towards the end of the day another surprise was a Linnet.  These birds feed on weed seeds and judging by its beak this one had been searching around in the mud for them!

Sunshine and warmth are encouraging many flowers to burst their buds and bloom.  Insects are making the most of the warm weather and Orange Tip and Speckled Wood butterflies, bumble bees, and crane flies were amongst those to be seen flitting through the flowers.  Visitors enjoyed this spectacle.

Thank you to everyone for their help throughout the day, ringing, welcoming visitors, providing tea and of course washing up!  A special thanks to the ringers and scribe who were on site at 4.15am!