Meisen Wood, Germany - 15th October 2017 - In the nets, in the sky.

Nets: 120m

Sound: Redwing, Chiff/Goldcrest, Robin.

Weather: damp becoming bright with a moderate wind.

Ringers:  CS and EB

Species	Ringed	Re - trap	Total
Blackbird		1	1
Blue Tit	5	9	14
Coal Tit		1	1
Dunnock		1	1
Firecrest	2		2
Goldcrest	9	1	10
Great Tit	3	6	9
Löng tailed Tit		1	1
Marsh Tit	1	4	5
Redwing	9		9
Robin	2	1	3
Treecreeper	1		1
Wren		1	1
Totals	32	26	58

Sometimes bird ringing occurs on a perfect day: good numbers with a reasonable variety of species to process; and the time to appreciate the environment where one is ringing.  Today was such a day.

Despite many robins calling only three responded to the tape.  Meanwhile the “Latvian love song” pulled: nine redwings in the net, our best ever single day capture.  Interestingly none of the redwings were carrying fat but all had muscle scores of 2 or 3 thus, presumably, re – fuelling before continuing their migration.

Redwing

Nine new goldcrests were a good number given their scarcity of late; but is still worryingly low.  The re-trap goldcrest was an old lady, originally ringed in late September 2015 and re-caught on nearly the same date in 2016.  Curiously a blue tit originally ringed on the same date as the above goldcrest was re-trapped today for the first time; where has it been?

Net rounds were also fungal forays. The Boletus fungi were impressive though all had been nibbled by mice or snails (if snails nibble).  There were large numbers of foraging hornets too, and after extracting eleven on one net round in one net ride we decided to close those nets.

From our processing table we look along the wooded slopes of the Teutonberg Hills where today, between net rounds and processing, we watched a good number of migrants using the updrafts and thermals the hills create: 51 buzzards, 2 red kite, 2 sparrowhawks and a goshawk soared effortlessly over us.  A flock of approximately 400 wood pigeons temporarily formed a moving shadow. Additionally there was a constant passage of small chaffinch, siskin and redwing flocks; plus crossbills and the autumn’s first brambling were heard.

A most enjoyable morning’s ringing.

Boletus fungus