It gives Pete and I ( as the real old timers in the group!) tremendous satisfaction when our younger team members ( especially those who have recently qualified) start to reap the benefits of their labours. Gareth has spent a lot of time over the last few years, nurturing a new farm site, and has spent quite a few sessions there where the rewards haven't always reflected the effort he and his dad have put in.
As just one example here is a picture of their ringing base illustrating the work they have put in:-
However, this is changing as the site improves along with his knowledge of where the best bird areas are. Last week, Gareth visited the farm and got our May ringing off to a superb start with a good catch of really high quality birds. The catch also showed the transition between winter and summer birds.
A smashing male Linnet was an example of the outgoing winter birds using the feeding station:-
One of the small number of resident British warblers was next on the agenda. Cetti's warbler has become established as a regular breeder over recent years, and this one we hope will settle and breed on the farm. Not very colourful, but rather special!!
What Gareth was really hoping for was some evidence of the incoming summer migrants which have spent the winter in Africa. Probably our least colourful warbler of all is the Garden Warbler--however, it's also a bit of a favourite of ours for many reasons.
But the real icing on the cake was not one, but two, Lesser Whitethroats. This species is special in so many ways--one of which is that they don't fly to western/sub Saharan Africa like most of our warblers. Instead for some reason they fly south east and spend the winter in either the Middle East or east Africa. They look pretty special too with their bandit like dark mask over their eyes.
So, well done Gareth--here's hoping for many more good days like this over the coming months and years!!
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