Lichens, Raindrops and Kingfishers!

As the leaves fall from the trees the lichens are more easily seen.  There are several different species to be spotted.

The rain overnight had left raindrops glistening on the berries and leaves. 

An early morning walk across the bridge as the bird ringers were putting up the nets startled a Kingfisher. No big camera and no big lens, but the little camera recorded a distinct blue splodge sitting on the perch to prove it was there!  Later in the afternoon, in a net ride off the Scrapes, two Kingfishers were caught together in the same net - which is quite unusual.  One was an adult male first caught in 2009 and the other a youngster from this year.

It was a quieter day than normal today but still 163 birds were processed including Redwing, Goldfinch and Goldcrest, Siskin (including a controlled bird from elsewhere), Lesser Redpoll, Nuthatch and Reed Bunting.  With two full months to go the ringers are 90 birds off the best ever annual total set in 2007 and this should be very easily achieved.