Thursday, 11 August 2016

Record breaker with the help of a few Redpoll

Today has been a day that will be remembered. It was sunny when we first arrived at the site but only 4 degrees centigrade and no wind at all. Birds were coming to the nets in each round but only in small numbers until about 09.30am when it got warmer and overcast. From this point birds started to be caught in large numbers. The bulk of the birds were Common Redpoll 387 and, followed by Meadow Pipit 139, and all were on migration.
The total birds caught and processed today were 751 over 18 species. This was truly exceptional and a figure this high I have not heard of before from Varanger. One possible reason why we had so many could have been for bad weather yesterday which put a temporary halt on migration so today there was passage of birds from yesterday and today, hence the big number.


This is bird 751, a Common Redpoll the last after a very tiring day.


Most of the Redpoll's caught today were Juveniles as in the pictures above. This particular one in unusually very pale and was one of the first to be caught..


This, the second Lapland Bunting caught on the trip so far.


At first glance it looks like a Willow Warbler, It is in actual fact our first Chiffchaff of the trip marginated to the sixth primary. In the hand it was very small and had dark legs and weighed only 7.5gms with a 64 wing length.


The second Wheatear of the trip today as well. A juvenile!


Another first this Willow it. They do look similar to UK birds except the white on the breast and flanks of the Uk bird is more buff coloured.

The figure below is the breakdown of what we caught today and in total since we arrived we have processed 2026 birds

Species
Number Caught
Reed Bunting
28
Bluethroat
43
Meadow Pipit
139
Willow Warbler
77
Redpoll
387
Brambling
31
Sedge Warbler
3
Fieldfare
23
Great tit
5
Redwing
1
Greenfinch
1
Redstart
0
Arctic Redpoll
0
Lapland Bunting
1
House Sparrow
0
Pied Flycatcher
0
White Wagtail
0
Dunlin
0
Wheatear
1
Dunnock
3
Merlin
0
Chiffchaff
1
Red Throated Pipit
1
Yellow Wagtail
1
Willow Tit
1
Total
751

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2 comments:

  1. rixy15 August 2016 at 00:03

    Hi, i've been enjoying reading the blog(s) about your ringing in Nesseby. With regards the picture of a Chiffcaff in this post - this bird must be a Willow Warbler. The bright greeny yellow plumage shouts Willow Warbler, the primary projection is very long and the wing tip is made up of P3 and P4 with a noticeably shorter P5. You mention the emargination on P6 as the reason for it being a Chichaff but based on the picture here I cannot see any noticeable emargination on P6. Do you have any pictures of the open wing?

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  2. Charlie Sargent15 August 2016 at 16:29

    Hi rixy

    Thanks for contacting me I am pleased you like my blog, it is hard work trying to do one every night. We get up at 3.00am and usually get home in the late afternoon to get something to eat and then to bed at about 8.30pm and somewhere at the end of the day I have to pen a few words for the blog. You are right it is a Willow Warbler and due to the circumstances it is not surprising I make the occasional mistake. I should have posted the picture of our first Chiffchaff which I have now done. It is very rewarding to me to know that you have taken the time to read my blog and point out the bird was in fact a Willow Warbler. I am always happy to receive constructive criticism.

    Charlie

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