Ringing

Ringing is slow at the moment with numbers down on previous years. However we did manage to catch our first Corn Bunting for the project, a female judging from the measurements (winglength 95, weight 39.6). It is a first for me and a special bird. They became extinct in Ireland in the mid-nineties unfortunately in the absence of any conservation strategy. Perhaps one day we might develop a reintroduction project.

Please excuse the focus. I only had my 150-500 lens with me and used the flash on 160th of a second and manual focus in the dark.

We are catching bluethroats lately in the evenings when we put up nets for water pipits. This adult male was very nicely marked.

This Barn owl seems to like the net poles. He let me approach to within a few meters recently. We still haven't managed to catch him despite several attempts to lure him/her with a mouse.

We had a serious setback this morning with the loss of two 60ft nets at Ali Farm. Myself and Abdulla went there yesterday afternoon and erected four nets, two over the grassland to catch water pipits and two in the fruit trees in a regular ride. We left the site at 6.15pm after lamping larks for 30 minutes. I arrived this morning at 6.30am and discovered the theft.It is painfully obvious that leaving nets up even overnight is not an option. We have lost three nets there now which is a serious financial blow in addition to leaving us low in 60ft nets.
On a brighter note, the Marsh Harrier there has become quite tame, allowing me to approach him while feeding. I watched him gorging himself on a small passerine and then he picked this insect up for desert.

Water pipits and white wagtails are plentyful now also.