Mid-September review

We have had three ringing sessions at Whitburn during September with a total of 60 birds ringed.  As with many other sites across the UK, we are not catching many sylvia warblers.  A couple of lesser whitethroats, pied flycatcher and spotted flycatcher have been the highlight.  This weekend saw the first migrant robins and tits.  A flock of coal tits turned up on the site and a total of 8 were ringed. On the last net round on Saturday a rather grey looking willow warbler was trapped (picture below), Dave Foster popped by the ringing hut to give a second opinion to race, however given the large overlap between races we ended up not assigning race.

My fiance Lisa has a keen interest in birds but the siting around between net rounds is not part of ringing process that she is keen on.  I have been ringing a few goldfinch in the garden which she soon asked to ring.  Whilst I spent the day ringing, Lisa visited me at Whitburn with her friend and her friends daughter.  They joined me on a net round and low and behold the spotted flycatcher was trapped.  As we have been looking for spotted flycatcher on several walks this summer,  she was very keen to ring it.  I ask myself is she hooked on ringing yet?  I guess it may take a few more little beauties to get her hooked.

© Adrian George

© Adrian George