Our Feathered Friends

Today our small group of Thursday volunteers have had a focus on birds, helping to fill the many bird feeders on the reserve and repairing and building new large bird boxes, that we hope will be occupied by owls.

Last night, the ringing room at Foxglove was in use. A ‘murmeration’ of starlings had been spotted performing their spectacular pre-roosting behaviour at nearby Brough Hall on the edge of the Garrison. Mist nets were set up at lunchtime in preparation of the catch. The ringers waited with baited breath as upwards of 12,000 birds swirled above, the potential size of the catch was enormous.

However, the starlings proved to be somewhat canny and only a small number flew into the nets, a total of 19 starlings and 6 blackbirds but it was a good opportunity to see close up the beautiful plumage of this bird species, the indoor photography doesn't do it justice but you can just make out its purple and green iridescent hues. 

If you are out and about around dusk in the Brough Hall area, glance upwards, you might be lucky and catch a glimpse of one of natures’ wonderful displays. 

Thank you to our volunteers for your hard work today, we appreciate the time and skills you commit to the running of the reserve.