Some interesting ring records today

Overnight frost. Very light northerly winds, the sun shone throughout the day, but it clouded over in the evening.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

John and Alan braved the frost for an early ringing session - report from Alan:

The temperature was around minus 3 degrees when I arrived at just before 06.30 with a clear sky. The catch was unsurprisingly small but interesting nonetheless.

Meadow Pipit - 1

Dunnock, Blackbird, Cettis Warbler - single retraps of each

Blackcap - 1 retrap of a bird ringed here in June 2020

Chiffchaff - 1

Goldcrest - 1

Lesser Redpoll - 1

Willow Warbler - 2 retraps. Both of these were returning birds. One ringed here in July 2018 and retrapped in early summer 2019. The other ringed here in April 2019 and retrapped in June 2020.

Both these birds have made multiple return trips to Africa.

Little movement seen overhead, although birds may have been extremely high in the clear conditions.

Swallow - at least six flew low over the reserve heading northwards.

Meadow Pipit - 5

Carrion Crow - 4 +2 flying west were almost certainly migrants.

One Peacock Butterfly in the western marsh area.

Heliport wall

Richard du Feu managed to read three colour ringed Oystercatcher this morning:

C6 the Devon ringed bird last seen on the Near Naze 27/03/21 - it was expected that this bird would have already moved on.

LA the Norwegian ringed bird last seen near Cricket Club 08/02/21

Plus a new Norwegian bird, ringed in Hordaland - details awaited.

South shore towards high water 

Shelduck 19

Red-breasted Merganser pair

Grey Plover 1 (not the regular one with a bad leg)

Little Egret 4

Swan sp - flock of 5 north very low over the water. I suspect Mute, but not certain (they were a lot further away than they look. MD)

Rock Pipit 1 on foreshore

Wheatear 2

Female/first winter Wheatear

A few birds over to north

Swallow 2

Linnet 9

Meadow Pipit 8