Ringing

A cool start, heavily overcast with squally showers, but turned out sunny with temps over 30c. Off to the UK toight have my winter wollies ready. A good morning banding at Dumistan Ponds. Willow Warblers dominated the bag today but Grasshopper and Sedge Warbler along with a male Blackcap added to the list of species ringed thus far (now well over 30)- other species ringed were Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler and White-cheeked Bulbul.

Despite getting soaked to the skin in a thunderstorm - this evening proved very rewarding in that not only did Brendan and I ring two more Hypocolius we caught the White-throated Robin first seen the previous evening. This latter species is on migration very territorial and once found proved very easy to catch. see picture below other birds caught were Willow Warbler, Crested Lark, White-cheeked Bulbul.

24th March Dumistan Ponds - the above Wryneck, which seems more likely to be found in the pages of a Conan Doyle novel than a field guide has to have the stangest behaviour of any bird seen, once in the hand

Other birds caught that day include Common Snipe, WoodChat Shrike, Common Whitethroat, White-cheeked Bulbul

By the early summer I hope to have our first web cam up and running - it will be on Hawar and will feature a species not previously seen.