Site fidelity Friday 7th April 2017

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With a perfect forecast I was up before the larks this morning and on site at Pembrey Burrows  by 05:45, with a few nets set by 06:15.

The clear skies clouded over to total cover by 06:30 and the slight breeze dropped away, disappointedly the clear skies overnight did not drop any obvious migrants into the reed bed area.

However I did catch a couple of Willow Warblers (Wilwa), the first was very bright and crisp looking and was an unringed bird.

The second bird was already carrying a ring, and upon closer inspection it was one of mine, the bird in question HLH257 was ringed originally in July of 2016 in the same net set as it was retrapped.

When originally ringed it had a wing length of 69mm,, with no recorded weight (the batteries  in the scales had run flat) today it had the same wing length and weighed 8.8g, I think what is remarkable is that this tiny bird left Pembrey last autumn to spend its winter south of the Sahel in tropical Africa, and then journey back again to Pembrey.... truly amazing.


Willow Warbler, HLH257

Its song is something to listen for as a herald of spring and warmer days

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