We visited Sophie on a morning with no rain forecast until the middle of the day but, consistent with our many previous ringing attempts there, the weather was against us. Intermittent heavy showers forced us to limit the nets opened and close the six in use for quite a lot of the morning.
Only 12 new birds were ringed but we were very pleased to catch a juvenile Grasshopper Warbler as captures are fairly infrequent here. The bird was not from the east bank where these are normally caught so was presumed to be a wandering youngster post fledging.
The afternoon was spent at Titchwell, which produced a mix of early summer waders at the high tide, with the best of the birds being a group of six Spoonbills, a Garganey and a Wood Sandpiper, plus a couple of colour ringed Avocet to track down.
Only 12 new birds were ringed but we were very pleased to catch a juvenile Grasshopper Warbler as captures are fairly infrequent here. The bird was not from the east bank where these are normally caught so was presumed to be a wandering youngster post fledging.
Juvenile Grasshopper Warbler undergoing post juvenile moult.
By constrast there was a very scruffy looking adult Reed Warbler with extremely worn edges to all flight feathers.
Reed Warbler aged 4
Many thanks to Sophie Barker for a very pleasant albeit wet morning spent at the Norfolk Ornithological Association Holme reserve.
Totals: 12 (2)
Wren - 2
Dunnock - 2 (1)
Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Reed Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 2
Chiffchaff - 1 (1)
Great Tit - 3
The afternoon was spent at Titchwell, which produced a mix of early summer waders at the high tide, with the best of the birds being a group of six Spoonbills, a Garganey and a Wood Sandpiper, plus a couple of colour ringed Avocet to track down.