After the shoot, and a bit of ermine

Well, the Wyken Hall shoot has finished for another season, which means I'm free to go about my bird ringing around the estate without worrying about annoying anybody, or being shot at.

Set up three nets by the wild bird seed mixes up along the hedge between the fields known as The Dales, and 35 Acres. A steady trickle came through all morning, with just a few birds every half an hour, but it was a really nice change to catching even more GRETI and BLUTI in my garden.

The haul for the morning was:

(all new birds)

Dunnock 2
Robin 2
Blackbird 3
Chaffinch 1
Goldfinch 4
Yellowhammer 1
Reed Bunting 9

Total 22 birds.

Also of note, whilst sitting in my car having a cuppa, a stoat dashed in front and started making its way up towards my nets. Worry about it taking any birds caught there I followed it up, and was surprised to see another stoat, but completely white in its winter ermine! You can say what you like about stoats, but I'm a big fan of all the mustelids, so this really made my morning.

Over the last couple of days (22nd & 23rd Jan) I've had a 3m net up in the reed beds by the little lake here, and have opened it for an hour or so over my lunch break. Caught 11 Reed Bunting there - all new birds. Might have to look at that roost again to see if the numbers are still high. I'll report back!