SRG out in full force

Today saw the three main ringing sites being manned by a collective of group members.
Although fairly quite it was great to see the group out in full force and catching a nice variety of birds.

Brief summaries of the mornings events are as follows:

Lytchett Bay

49 new birds inc 2 Kingfishers. 

Grasshopper Warblers are avoiding us this year. Still not a sniff of an easterly.

Birding was better with the fields looking in the best condition for birds that I have ever seen. Wood Sand was strutting around in the open, at least 4 Common Sand, 1 Whimbrel, 8 Green Sand, 5 Greenshank and 17 Little Egrets plus Snipe and Lapwings.

Durlston NNR

51 new birds with impressive numbers of Garden Warblers continuing (12).

2 Tree Pipit, 1 Redstart and 1 Lesser Whitethroat provided nice variety.

Others included:
Wren 1
Robin 1
Robin 1
Sedge Warbler 1
Whitethroat 5
Blackcap 2
Willow Warbler 24
Greenfinch 1

Well over 20 Tree Pipits passing through, with near misses of Sparrowhawk and Green Woodpecker

Fleets Corner

Update to follow

The vast majority of Garden Warblers seen at Durlston in autumn are 1st year birds, so it is always nice to see adults with their clearly defined worn and slightly bleached tertiaries and primary wing tips.

2 of the several Tree Pipits seen and heard at Durlston today. Note the buff, tipped edge to the coverts and tertiaries and overall fresh appearance.

Whilst doing a net round a flash of orange streaked in front of me and landed in the net pocket. No mistaking this beautiful Redstart.

A common breeding migrant to Durlston, Lesser Whitethroat usually hold onto a handful of territories across the reserve, with this year being a particularly good year. The dull olive, grey iris and lack of white on the tips of the 5th tail feather identified this as a young bird.