Here comes another theory......

......as to why we only ringed 5 birds this morning! The forecast was for a band of heavy showers to move through over night and as you know I was saying yesterday that it was just what the "migration doctor ordered"! It did rain but unfortunately it started before dusk fell and rained on and off all through the night until 4.00 a.m. This probably had a blocking affect on any migration and subsequently led to our poor catch.

Nevertheless Ian and I were at Rossall for 0515 and it was flat calm and overcast; perfect conditions for mist netting. Within an hour the wind had picked up to a stiff northwesterly, before dropping again after about an hour or so. The five birds we ringed were 3 Whitethroats, Tree Pipit and a Goldfinch.

 Goldfinch

Vis was similarly poor except for a Corn Bunting heading north. It amazes me that every year we get a few of these predominantly resident birds on the move. Where it was from and where it was going, who knows. The other bits and pieces we had were 4 Tree Pipits, 4 Meadow Pipits, 17 Swallows, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 16 Woodpigeons (south), 6 Lesser redpolls, Alba Wag, Sand Martin, 3 Goldfinch and 2 House Martins.

 Tree Pipit

There were no particular grounded birds because the 2 Grasshopper Warblers and 6 Whitethroats are probably all territory holding birds. I had a look at the Nature Park afterwards and it was quiet with just the expected Whitethroats and Reed and Sedge Warblers present. The cemetery was equally quiet and I didn't record a single grounded migrant.

 Whitethroat

As I write the wind is fairly strong, but the forecast is for it to drop so we'll be at the 'obs' again tomorrow morning trying our best!