Saturday 16th January 2016

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Oxwich Marsh NNR ringing


Meeting at Oxwich for 07:45hrs this morning wads very civilised considering the state of the roads after the first real cold night of what, so far, has been a very wet winter.

The early clear skies had already started to fill in with cloud before sunrise, although as always that hour around dawn was perhaps the coldest?

With the nets efficiently set we waited for the first "round", (when we go around the nets to remove any birds).

The morning was filled with Blue Tits, a smattering of Great Tits, a couple of Coal Tits, plus the usual Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Greenfinches and a small party of Siskin.

Male Siskin



As the morning warmed a Chiffchaff was processed and found to be wearing a ring not belonging to the group! or so we think more details to follow. It's always exciting to "control" someone else's previous encounter with a bird. We will have to wait until the details have been entered in the system.

Chiffchaff, the picture doesn't do the true colour any justice ,

the bird was a classis Colybitta type


Most Chiffchaffs are in the Mediterranean region or even further south in North Africa at this time of year, a few always winter in the UK and are regularly seen in association with tit flocks.

Its Webs count tomorrow so check out the blog for more news.......



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