Second Time Unlucky

Leith Hill continues to throw up more Redpolls, but a few other species also graced the session on Monday including a Long-tailed Tit and only the second Treecreeper for the site.  Two more Redpoll controls were caught - L054653 and Y469779. The addition of the first displaying Woodlark of the year was also a nice early sign of spring.

After the successful first session at North River, I had high hopes for our second outing on Wednesday, especially with fairer weather.  Unfortunately this was not to be with just five new birds and just nine in total with the highlight being the first Treecreeper (above).  Sightings faired a lot better with c100 Fieldfare and 4 Mandarin Duck standing out.

Have had a couple of recoveries back too this week:

X317744 - Redpoll - 1st year male ringed at Leechpool and Owlbeech Woods, Horsham on 22/12/2008 and recaught at Hollesley Heath, Suffolk on 19/10/2009 301 days and 162km NE.

L080823 - Reed Bunting - adult male ringed at Chesworth Farm, Horsham on 30/12/2009 and recaught at Chobham Common, Surrey on 12/11/2011 682 days and 41km NNW.

L977558 - Lesser Redpoll - 1st year ringed at Whitehouse, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire on 10/10/2011 and recaught at Duke's Warren, Leith Hill on 21/10/2011 11 days and 207km SSE (below).

Leechpool and Owlbeech Woods and Chesworth Farm are no longer active sites but still good to be getting records back.

Birds ringed:
Common (Mealy) Redpoll - 46
Redpoll sp. - 5
Goldfinch - 2
Robin - 1
Siskin - 3
Blue Tit - 1
Coal Tit - 1
Great Tit - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 1
Treecreeper - 2
Song Thrush - 2