Blog entry courtesy of Ian Lewis at - http://gryllosblog.wordpress.com/

We were invited to do a ringing demonstration for the Forage Festival at Arne RSPB on the 26th October. Paul and I prepared a 180 ft net ride for the occasion but bad weather reduced us to ringing with a 30ft net in the lee of the visitor centre. With still and sunny conditions today we obtained permission to return and investigate the practicality of ringing at our original site.
As expected most of the birds ringed were tits, Robins, Dunnocks and Blackbirds. However a couple of larger birds provided a big surprise!

This first year Magpie was caught at dawn

Later Shaun returned from a net round with this Buzzard ! I have only seen an adult Buzzard in the hand once before, in Israel in 1986 and this was a first for the others.

There was no sign of immaturity what so ever and the bird was given an age code of 8 meaning it was hatched in 2010 or before.

The chance of a standard mist net holding as big a bird as a Buzzard is rather slim. No wonder Shaun looks so smug.

This penetrating stare was probably the last thing that many a rabbit saw.