Much of the 22nd was taken up in searching for another bird that I get to see most winters, Blackcap, a bird that can often be seen in our garden. but not this year. There is no way I can miss this bird for my year list, as it is an abundant summer visitor and passage migrant, but it would be nice to see a wintering one, and also I am hoping to push my year list over 200 by the end of February and seeing one would definately help!
Later I managed one of my infrequent visits to the gym. Last spring in the run up to the West Papua trip I was going three times a week, but I have found that very difficult to maintain since.
The ground floor of the gym is packed with machines but not with people at this time of day.
The upstairs freestyle section is often a more pleasant area to exercisse..
In the evening we met up with old colleagues, Tim Kellaway and Gio and Jessica Pietrangelo. This is the first time I have seen Gio since he retired in December.
On the 23rd Carol Grieg and I did some ringing at Holton Lee. We caught about 50 birds but two thirds were re-traps. We are catching a few birds that have been ringed elsewhere, most likely nearby Lytchett Bay but it will take a little while to sort the data out. The best bird trapped was a Treecreeper. A wintering Chiffchaff was in the area but we failed to catch it.
A Common Treecreeper
Common Treecreeper can be told from a vagrant Short-toed Treecreeper by the markings on the alula feather and the precise alignment and shape of the pale bar in the wing, especially on the longest primaries.
At times there seemed to be more Squirrels than birds around the feeders. This one amused us by sticking its front paws between the mesh and flicking out bird seeds.
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