Today was our annual bird ringing demonstration, and like all days that we plan to do bird ringing, it was raining. We did get a few birds including 6 chaffinches, 2 great tits, 1 blue tit and 1 dunnock, but for the most part it was too wet making the mist nets very visible to birds. However, we'd like to thank BTO bird ringer, Dave Grant, and his assistants Kev, Julie and Emma, for giving such a fantastic demonstration and lots of information for the 15 people who braved the weather at 7.00am to see bird ringers in action.
Sightings on the reserve this week have included several ospreys, the last was seen on Tuesday during the early afternoon. It was seen on the Barr Loch, briefly attempting to fish before being chased off by gulls and crows. Also present at the Barr Loch that day was a water rail, a pair of common sandpipers, a single wigeon and a single male pochard. A large group of 60+ tufted ducks and over 100 mallards.
Highlights at the feeders this week have included a stunning male bullfinch that keeps returning, sometimes along with a female and sometimes on its own. We have also had regular sightings of a great spotted woodpecker and all of the usual suspects including chaffinches, goldfinches, greenfinch, blue tit, great tit, coal tit, robin, blackbird, dunnock etc
Quite a few recently fledged jackdaws have been visiting the feeders along with their parents, so we have been able to watch them being fed by the adult birds.
Around the reserve we still have singing sedge warblers, chiffchaff & grasshopper warbler. There have been quite a few long tailed tits hanging around the car park too.
Moths this week have included small elephant hawk moth as well as elephant hawk moth, poplar hawk moth, garden tiger, double square spot, small square spot, coxcomb prominent, straw dot & common wave, along with many others.
Butterflies have included ringlet, small copper, green veined white, peacock and a possible brimstone. Damselflies have included azure blue, common blue and emerald.
- Paula