In the late afternoon Shaun, Bob and I met at the north side of Lytchett Bay in an attempt to trap Pied Wagtails at roost. It was a beautiful evening and after setting up we watched 500 wagtails being chased by a Sparrowhawk. Also three Marsh Harriers come into roost and a small and apparently tailless lark was seen distantly but remained unidentified. After dark a Short-eared Owl flew low overhead and a Water Rail just missed the net.
We trapped some 45 wagtails and 13 Reed Buntings but the big surprise was this Jack Snipe that flew into the net beside me whilst I was extracting wagtails.
The seldom seen and seldom ringed Jack Snipe
The first to be ringed at Lytchett in what Shaun calls 'the modern era' i.e. since he has lived in Dorset.
On Saturday 29th Shuan, John Dowling and I made an early start and went to Durlston in the hope of ringing some Redwing, however on arrival it was clear that it was too windy on the coast, in spite of the fact there wasn’t a breath of wind in Upton. We decided to return to Upton and ring at Lytchett Bay. In retrospect we wished we had just furled the wagtail nets last night and continued there this morning.
By 0815 we were set up near the waterworks, we had a modest morning with some 22 new birds but although we didn’t catch any Redwing we did catch three migrant Song Thrushes and a Cetti’s Warbler.
With Dartford, Cettis is are only resident warbler, although it makes short distance movements. Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs are also seen in winter but undoubtedly involve different birds to those pressent in summer.
To most birders Cetti's are more often heard than seen, anouncing their presence with one of the most strident of all bird songs.
Most birds are docile in the hand, Song Thrushes however are the exception.
We are currently undergoing high spring tides....
... which means the concrete block we use for a ringing base gets flooded!
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