The next two days

Two more mornings were spent down in the water meadow orchard (21 & 22 Sept). The Friday was cloudy with the wind easing and Saturday was brighter with the wind picking up again. Altogether, we had 33 new birds with a mere 3 recaptures.

Under-tail coverts of Grey Wagtail (1CY)

The red-letter bird on day 1 was another Grey Wagtail; the rest of the cast comprised mainly of 'King Harry's, a pleasing return to autumn ringing. With a small Mipit passage going on, I 'tape lured' two specimens, both 1CY birds with short (UK) wing lengths.

Simultaneous shedding of greater coverts in juvenile Goldfinch (late Sept)

Day 2 was less successful but we handled yet another Song Thrush and our first Goldcrest of the second winter period. However, the star prize 'today' was to be a 3F Reed Bunting, yet another 'new for year' species. 

The full count was as follows:
Goldcrest 1 - adult male
Chiffchaff 2 (1) - new birds both adults
Blackcap 2 - both males
Blackbird (1) - aged '4M' Aug 2011             
Song Thrush 1 - another juv
Robin 1 (1)
Dunnock 2
Grey Wagtail 1 - 1CY
Meadow Pipit 2 - 1CY

Contrast between greater and primary coverts - 1CY Chaffinch

 Chaffinch 3 - 2 adults & 1CY
Greenfinch 4 - all juvs undergoing PJ moult
Goldfinch 13 - no adult birds!
Reed Bunting 1 - a small imm. female

I spent the next week with our caravan up in NW Norfolk, enjoying the noisy Pink-feet and the swirling Knot flocks! ... and meeting friends and family of "her indoors", my partner Jenny. [I should say she spends much of her time in the garden or walking her dog, so a bit of a mis-nomer!!!]