A Festive Roost session

There are few common species which pose more challenges for trainees and licenced ringers than starlings. They are difficult to extract from mist nets, and ageing is never easy. Therefore this is a perfect species to target for a training session while also acting as a good refresher for everyone.
We are finding that a track on a Swedish collection of bird songs, is extremely effective at attracting starlings on their way into roost. Belvide reserve has a large reedbed with a regular pretty large starling roost-estimated at 15,000 in recent days--sounds perfect?!
This however, poses a couple of potential problems. First and foremost it is imperative that we maintain good positive relationships with the birders at the reserve and with members and guests who come to see the murmuration. Second, it's potentially too risky in the centre of such a roost that too many birds could be caught--especially when we are using the event as a training exercise.
There is a very neat solution at Belvide in that there is a smaller offshoot of the reedbed slightly out of the way, where we can operate without disturbing the main roost or those gathered to watch it.
Last night was particularly successful in that we had a good team--and time for plenty of banter. The smaller number of the gathering birds that were attracted to the sound came in relatively early giving us plenty of time to extract and close the nets before the main roost started. And finally some great teamwork gave the trainees plenty of opportunities to get to grips with starlings and reed buntings-and a bonus winter chiffchaff. 40 starlings; 8 reed buntings and 1 chiffchaff were the final totals.

Prior to Kev's first starling roost--which is why he

is still smiling..............

Ageing/sexing/ringing etc is an added challenge in a

dark hide

One of the target species