Sunshine on Rimrose

On Sunday morning I headed to Brook Vale on my own, well, not exactly on my own, I did have Canela with me, but she isn't great at putting up nets and her extraction is terrible (she's scared of Great Tits). I managed to get four nets up in the dell and the feeding station and Cetti's net within the reserve. The change in times had clearly messed up my ability to think clearly, arriving in the dark I struggled to get the key to turn in the lock at the main gate, meaning I was unable to drive into the site and had to carry all of the gear in. It wasn't until Moxey arrived (once all the nets had been put up) that I realised I had been using the wrong key.

The ringing was relatively slow throughout the morning, the dell proving the most productive nets and it was good to get in and check out some of the other places that we will try and net later on in the spring. Although there was little action in the way of migrants, we did manage to pick up a few birds that we have been lacking in ringing sessions from earlier in the year such as Long-tailed Tit and Wren.

It was all a little too much for Canela

 

The view towards the dell.

Goldcrest -   1
Chiffchaff -   4
Wren -   4
L.T.Tit -   3   (1)
Blue Tit -   (1)
Great Tit -   1   (1)
Chaffinch -   1
Goldfinch -   4
Robin -   1   (1)
Dunnock -   (1)
Greenfinch -   2
Song Thrush -   1

TOTAL:   22   (5)

There were a number of butterflies around, including my first Green-veined White of the year and this Speckled Wood:

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)