Sunday 18 October 2020

Today was cloudy and the wind became more and more Southerly throughout. With the forecast looking rough for the next few days, George and Alex made the most of the relatively calm conditions and opened nets at Ty Pellaf and in the Withies.

There a was decent passage of finches over the island today, focussed mainly along the mountainside and passing over Ty Pellaf. Finch numbers totalled 238 Chaffinches, six Bramblings, 155 Goldfinches, 47 Linnets and 68 Lesser Redpolls.

a rather red male Lesser Redpoll

This finch passage meant that George was able to ring 20 Chaffinches, 11 Goldfinches and 16 Lesser Redpolls. A further six Lesser Redpolls and two Chaffinches were trapped in the Withies, but numbers were generally poorer here. Seventeen Goldfinches and a Chaffinch were then caught in the obs garden this afternoon.

male Stonechat

Other ringing highlights from Ty Pellaf included a Reed Bunting, a Stonechat and three Redwings. One of yesterday's Yellow-browed Warblers was recaptured in the Withies and another Great Spotted Woodpecker was caught, along with four Song Thrushes.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Overall thrush numbers were down today but a total of 22 Song Thrushes were counted, the highest number so far this Autumn. Also present were 23 Blackbirds, six Fieldfares, 18 Redwings and a Mistle Thrush.

Other highlights included; a Merlin, a Water Rail, 11 Swallows, a Grey Wagtail and eight Blackcaps.

Ringing totals: one Great Spotted Woodpecker, one Wren, four Dunnocks, one Stonechat, three Blackbirds, six Song Thrushes, four Redwings, two Blackcaps, two Goldcrests, 23 Chaffinches, 28 Goldfinches, two Linnets, 22 Lesser Redpolls and a Reed Bunting - 100 birds of 14 species.

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