Lamsdell Bird Ringing and Wildlife Blog: Wraysbury GP

Thursday, 10 September 2020

Wraysbury GP - 10th September 2020

It was barely light as we arrived just after 6am. The first of the eight nets up was brand new and went up as part of the first double. We left that and set a further two doubles and two singles. There's something special about a brand new net, beautifully soft, that lovely smell and only the holes that are meant to be there. Could it be any better? Well, yes when you check it on your first round to find close to 30 birds fresh out of roost! They were mainly Blackcaps and made up the bulk of the 42 birds processed following the first round.
After that, the birds reduced to a steady trickle. We tried playing Meadow Pipit on one of the doubles on the off chance and managed to catch a few, even though the net wasn't specifically set for them. The most unexpected bird was a Nuthatch that was heard in the taller trees and lured down. This species is most unusual on C6 Wraysbury.

3F Nuthatch

Retained outer lesser coverts

as mentioned in Demongin

Our only Whitethroat of the day aged 3

Treecreeper juvenile

Totals: 63 (11)

Meadow Pipit - 6
Wren - 1
Dunnock - 1 (2)
Songthrush - 1
Reed Warbler - 1
Whitethroat - 1
Blackcap - 34 (5)
Chiffchaff - 9 (3)
Willow Warbler - 1
Goldcrest - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 0 (1)
Blue Tit - 3
Great Tit - 1
Treecreeper - 1
Nuthatch - 1

About us

Chris and Denise Lamsdell

We have both been birders for about 40 years based in South Bucks near the West London reservoir complexes.

Since September 2021 we have been based in North Norfolk. We have done our bit of twitching in the past, but with other priorities this has become a much reduced activity with a preference for seeing new birds where ever our travels take us.

We both have been ringing since 2005. Our local group was the Runnymede RG while based in Buckinghamshire. Since moving to Norfolk we have started a new group called The Iceni Bird Monitoring Group, aimed at increasing public engagement through colour ringing projects on Black-headed Gull, Turnstone and Lapwing. We ring at several sites including Sculthorpe Moor, Sandringham Estate, Deepdale Farm and also monitor bird populations for the Norfolk Rivers Trust. We do ringing at home and support with foreign projects when opportunities allow. Chris also has an interest in Butterflies and Dragonflies and contains his limited photographic skill to them.