bird-ringing beauty

I was thrilled to be able to handle and take the biometric details of this re-trap ♂ nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchosis) who is at least seven years old having first been ringed as an adult six years ago, on the same territory.

Otherwise a very quiet early morning's ringing with only a pair of great tit (Parus major) and singles of blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) both ♀.

garden bird doodling

I just had to take advantage of the sunshine today to get some garden bird action on camera.

Also enjoyed some albeit brief vismig with 2 x barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) heading north at 13:07

garden falcon fly-over

Vis mig garden flyover in the shape of a hobby (Falco subbuteo), high and heading south-east at 13:12 Sometimes just looking up from a good book can be rewarding in itself.

IOW songster

These great shots of a male blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) are via Chuck Eccleston the bird was singing along the old railway track recently, Alverstone IOW. For a quick burst of its distinctive song you can go to:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/B/Blackcap/index.aspx

garden butterfly

A single small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) made a brief tour of the garden around lunchtime today.

Stane Street, from Bignor Hill to Eartham Wood, West Sussex

Once bitten, not shy !

Apologies for the poor digi-scoped record shot of the Titchfield Haven bittern (Botaurus stellaris) which has been giving very good value from the Meadow Hide over the last month or so.

Finally caught up with the bird today and although it was not as close to the hide as hoped, it did give extended and stunning views over the hour and a half that we watched.

Other Haven highlights included sev. singing chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), a single swallow (Hirundo rustica), 6(8) sand martin (Riparia riparia) and 3(4) mediterranean gull (Larus melanocephalus) in full sum. plum. amongst the screaming hordes of BH gull (Larus ridibundus) which provide the dominant soundscape to the scrapes at this time of year.  

Whilst watching the bittern received a text which simply said "woodchat still church cove.." so returned home and immediately checked out:

http://lizardnaturally.blogspot.com/2010/04/spring-overshoots.html

garden birding after this morning's rain

11 house sparrow (Passer domesticus) including 2 male 7 fem and 2 flashing over the back wall to quickly to be sexed. 1 male and 1 fem blackbird (Turdus merula) and 1 wood pigeon (Columba palumbus). During the briefest of garden watches following the morning's incessant downpour.

Received a text from a friend in Southsea, confirming their first garden willow warbler (Phylloscopus collybita) this spring. She usually has one or two willow warblers in the garden over the first couple of weeks of passage, I have suggested they may well not be the same two birds each day.