Monday, 23 September 2013

Swallows on the move

Mick, Ian and Simon had another busy morning at Durlston, although not for the first three hours when we just ticked over.
 
There was a huge passage of Swallows and a substantial one of Meadow Pipits which were mainly all passing through fairly fast and staying high.
Sample counts of 50 - 100 per minute just over the ringing station. Extrapolate this over the three hours from 7 - 10am when the passage was strongest and you get between  9 and 18,000 birds just over the highest part of Durlston alone.
The Swallows weren't interested in stopping around our nets but we still managed to ring 42.
 
Other than that between 500 and 1000 Meadow Pipits flew east along with a few Goldfinch.
Ringing highlights included a Grasshopper Warbler and a Reed Warbler and there was a notable influx of Blackcaps
 
Total ringed - 125

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