Back to Kessingland

On Saturday I decided to visit Colin Carter and his team who were ringing at their regular haunt, Kessingland sewage works. Given that the clocks had yet to go back starting at 06:30 meant starting in the dark although this gave us the opportunity to try for a Tawny Owl but the bird wasn't giving our nets a first glance let alone a second.

Unbeknown to those convening at 06:30, Colin and Derek had already been onsite for an hour as Derek had felt it prudent to set a net next to the reedbed with a view to catching incoming Water Rails. A Blackbird and Wren were extracted before the net was moved to a prime Redpoll catching area.

Once the sun had come up the catch was a mixed bag including a few late summer migrants in the form of a Chiffchaff and a few Blackcaps. The highlight was definitely Lesser Redpoll with another 24 being caught adding to good catches from previous weeks. the birds were almost exclusively caught immediately over my iPod amplification system.

An interesting control was caught in the shape of a Great-spotted Woodpecker. The bird was age code 3 meaning that it had hatched and therefore been ringed this year but it was not carrying one of Colin's rings so where it came from is currently a mystery. LC29543 - any takers. It did however give Sophie, a new trainee the opportunity to handle a bird capable of inflicting pain!

Sophie gets to grip with her first Great-spotted Woodpecker.

1st winter (3) male Great-spotted Woodpecker

Totals - 55 new, (22) retraps including 1 control
Great-spotted Woodpecker - (1)

Wren - 1, (1)

Dunnock - (4)

Robin - 4, (1)

Blackbird - 8, (5)
Song Thrush - 3
Redwing - 1
Blackcap - 3
Chiffchaff - 1
Goldcrest - 4
Long-tailed Tit - (2)
Blue Tit - 3, (5)
Great Tit - (2)
Chaffinch - 2
Lesser Redpoll - 24
Bullfinch - 1, (1)