Public demonstration

The Group held a public demonstration of bird ringing today and had 23 people attend during the morning. They enjoyed watching the processing of 33 birds of 13 species, including several migrants, as well as the usual expected species.

Colourful catch

Today the Group acted as hosts to the Reaseheath University College, Cheshire when 16 students and their tutors visited the Wetlands and spent the morning helping with the Group's ringing activities. This was part of the students field studies towards gaining an environment degree.

The species caught included, a Goldfinch, male and female Bullfinch and the highlight of the morning a male Redstart. These certainly made the morning colourful as opposed to the "little brown jobs" although those are still important in our research. A total of 30 birds were caught and processed of 15 species, including migrant Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.

Photographs by Mark Wills of the male Redstart 

Second year Male Bullfinch bearing a tick under its bill (Photo Mike Tyler)