Yes!

Following on from yesterday's blog and session by the stream, I decided to set a mist-net across the stream this morning for a couple of hours from shortly after dawn. I needed to return home early as the contractors were coming to finish the roof before it rained, and so I was prepared for just a short spell.

There was a distinct absence of Swallows today; there had been gatherings of 50+ over the last two days but this morning just two solitary birds making their way south. Likewise, I did not hear the young Dippers, wagtails or sandpipers. The only bird of note was a Raven.

I did, however, recapture my first Kingfisher, a young female, 30 minutes after setting up. Whilst walking the site with my dog, Cerise, I noticed a large party of Lottis and warblers making their way along the stream edge, moving upstream towards my net. I guesstimated that there were at least 19 birds in this group. Thankfully, some of them passed over the water, while others stuck to the bank. I had just got to the last of the seven birds when a short sharp shower ensued. Thankfully, my car was parked just 20 yards away.

The moving flock did me a favour in one respect; I now know where to set an additional net on the bank to intercept a similar movement, if I am just concentrating on birds using the stream at the ford.

Bonus bird of the day - Garden Warbler - my first for Somerset. [Coincidentally, Denise also had her first of the year yesterday, a little way to the west of here]. I am so used to handling these throughout the summer back in East Anglia.


This brings the tally of species ringed to 35.

Kingfisher (1)
Long-tailed Tit 1 (2)
Chiffchaff 3
Garden Warbler 1