Calling Tawny and Little Owls greeted us on this beautifully still morning, overcast and a slightly more finger-friendly temperature than the last visit. This did mean that numbers were slightly lower, but in turn this allowed us to process everything fully and colour-ring every Yellowhammer we caught. We finished on about 60 birds, including 23 Yellowhammers, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 1 new Marsh Tit, a Reed Bunting and all the regulars.
The Reed Bunting was a retrap and known adult, so here are some pictures to confirm what adults look like at this time of year:
I wonder - can you see that eye colour...?
We also caught a young female Blackbird that had moulted all its greater coverts, something you don't see that often. Contrast in colour between the greater coverts and primary coverts was still evident (though I'm not sure it shows well in the picture) and tail shape gave the age away.
Fairly good numbers of winter thrushes were still flying around and we found several badger trails.
Pete
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