East Lincs owling, 31 May - 3 June

Just for interest and a bit of comparison, a bit of feedback from what we found this week in east Lincs (from my blurred memory):

• Barn Owls - 34 breeding pairs found and 1 other that might do soon. Processed 31 females (4 got the better of us).  13 of the females were unringed, which seems quite high, suggesting lower winter survival than usual with bias to the higher ground.  Also processed 7 males (3 new/4 old).  One male had an old break in it's right tarsus.  We wondered about ringing it, but as it dug it's claw several millimetres in to Mike's finger we reckoned the foot was working well enough!  Also, at least 3 controls in there, but Adrian will need to sort out which are retraps/controls.
• Kestrels - 2 broods of 4 ringed.  c3 to go back to.
• Tawny Owls - Final brood of 2 ringed at Welton Woods.
• Stock Dove - Mainly on presumably second clutches, bar the 4 ringed.
• Little Owl - The highlight for me!  As one of the boxes Duncan & I put up late winter was used.  An adult & 3 chicks ringed at 2 sites.

Jim