We spent the weekend at the BTO conference and very interesting it was too, but that meant that we've not been out for the last three days! Keen to get back out in the fresh air we arranged a meet with Margaret and MRB to try our luck at the orchard. It wasn't that cold and the session was a bit disappointing with no Redwings or Fieldfare for us this morning. The sum total of our efforts amounted to a load of Tits, a Goldfinch and a Blackbird. However, there's usually something of interest and today it was a young Blue Tit with an unusual pattern of colouration on the primary and median coverts. It almost looked like a very strong fault bar on the primaries, however there was no other such patterning on the primaries or tail.
Unusual colouration on primary and median coverts. The colouration
was present on the lower quarter or so of the feather but upper portions
were pale grey.
was present on the lower quarter or so of the feather but upper portions
were pale grey.
Blue Tit age 3 - D710227 - We hope to recatch
this bird after its next moult and see what happens.
this bird after its next moult and see what happens.
Total: 9 (7)
Blackbird - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 1 (1)
Blue Tit 4 (5)
Great Tit - 2 (1)
Goldfinch - 1