Stanwell Moor ringing site - 7 Nov 2010

A visit today turned into one of those upside down days. Setting up took an eternity, with 3 out of 5 60 ft nets with cords through the loops, one other had a previously repaired bottom line break at setting up, one double panel also had loop/cord problems and the cord on the potter trap snapped!

Then the birds did not turn up in any quantity - only 15 for an 8 hour stay. We found the Starling roost was about 400 odd birds and I rather stupidly started to think how could we optimise a catch on another day with some backup.

We did manage 4 Starling at the roost, with the other birds being a Great Tit, 2 Reed Buntings, 7 more Meadow Pipits, taking us over 200 this autumn, plus a control MEPIT! L631581 - obviously this years from somewhere. But the star bird, one of the reasons for getting access to the site as they sometimes are present from the near by Staines Moor was this bird:

Water Pipit

A good catch considering the slow day and at times rather windy conditions that made the nets rather noticeable.