A busy week to say the least!!!

It is hard to know where to start with this week. To say we were 'busy' would be a bit of an under-statement!! On most UK ringing sites a '100+' day would be classed as a good days ringing. Here are our totals for the last seven days!

Monday         179
Tuesday         164
Wednesday    321
Thursday       158
Friday           157
Saturday       134
Sunday         336

When combined with ringing at the other site (run by others from the Group when they are on the island) a total of 1875 birds were ringed. Of this, 1249 were Goldcrest, the smallest bird in Europe and migrating to as far as Spain & Portugal for the winter. Another 255 were Robin, but there were some other good birds among the masses. Best for Kay was a Common Snipe caught in the reed beds early on the 1st October. Best for Chris was a Jack Snipe, caught the next morning. It flushed from our feet as we walked up the lane after opening the nets at 0630. It then hit one of the nets, bounced out, flew down the lane and then very obligingly flew into the next net. Ringing ticks for both of us!!! (See pictures below).

Among the total of 30 different species caught were the 98th Red-backed Shrike of the year, only the 5th ever ringed in Sweden in October, strangely all of them on Landsort! Two more Yellow-browed Warbler, makes 2014 equal best year for the species, with another 2 Sparrowhawk making that 16 for the year. Thanks to a great spring we managed to break the best year for Chaffinch. 

The best year so far for Goldcrest was 1989 when 3140 were ringed. So far we have 2380 and the peak period for movement of the species is just starting!!! 

For 2014 we now have 7895 ringed, just 1000 short of our year in 2013 and 'only' 2200 shy of the best ever year for Landsort. With luck and good weather we might just beat that!!!!

In our time off we managed to go fishing off the rocks and caught a Cod each. Which reminds me - dinner is ready. Cherrio!!!!