After a cold week the numbers of Fieldfare at the orchard appeared to have increased. The Redwings were still around too although numbers of finches were down.
We started late to allow for birds to feed in advance of our session, and further to that it is a rather large orchard with plenty of space for birds to feed away from our nets, which a great deal of birds did. During setting up we flushed a Woodcock with two more seen later in the day. At one point there was a large female Sparrowhawk in one of the nets but it got out before we could get to it.
The ground was very hard with a severe frost that remained all morning. There was a breeze but it didn't affect our catch rate very much.
Our capture numbers were good, leading species being Redwing with 25. Fieldfares were up on the previous session with 12 new birds and a control ringed under the Norwegian scheme.
Blackbird - 11 (1)
Fieldfare - 12 (& 1 control)
Redwing - 25
Song Thrush - 1
Blue Tit - 4
Great Tit - 4
Greenfinch - 1
Goldfinch - 1
Brambling - 1
Yellowhammer - 1