A thorny issue!

After a busy week surveying on the wind farm the Sutherland weather looked favourable for some garden ringing on Sunday morning. So with the the 30' net ready and feeders filled all that was needed was a brew and some birds. The House Sparrows, Chaffinches and Greenfinches were first in as usual and after the first few rounds I was surprised to hear shrill thrush like alarm calls coming from the general direction of the net. Upon checking two Song Thrushes and a Jackdaw were caught; I'm not sure what was upsetting the thrushes most, being trapped in the mist net or the proximity of the Jackdaw. The Song Thrushes were both young of this year clearly showing thorny median and greater coverts while the Jackdaw was an adult with a striking pale blue iris and wide rectrices - at least I now have an idea as to why the bird food (and my salary!), is disappearing so quickly.

 Juvenile (3J) Song Thrush, (left) and adult (6) Jackdaw, (right)

Siskins were again present in good numbers with eleven new birds being and another control captured. It will be interesting to see where these birds are going from.

Totals - 26 new, (5) retraps including a control

Song Thrush - 2

Coal Tit - 1, (1)

Jackdaw - 1

House Sparrow - 3, (1)

Chaffinch - 3

Greenfinch - 5

Siskin - 11, (3) inc a control.

After lunch a quick trip was made to Brora Harbour, with spring traps this time, to see if any Wheatears were still lingering before heading inland. The weather wasn't as favourable as the previous week with a cool breeze keeping insects low to the ground. It was quickly apparent that there weren't many birds around but a couple of Wheatears were spotted and after a few failed attempts I got lucky with a trap well placed in the rotting seaweed in the tide line. A large female was trapped and the biometrics were supportive of it being a member of the Greenland race leucorhoa.

2CY(5) female Greenland Wheatear

On the way to the beach a short stop was made to catch and ring a Lapwing chick that has recently hatched out in a field beside the A9. It has has survived a few days already but given the number of gulls loafing around I don't fancy it's chances but then again ...

Lapwing chick