Yesterday was the first day in quite a few weeks where there has been good enough weather for mist netting at Walsey Hills. It feels like the windy and wet weather has been constant! I caught 42 birds of 10 species by the end of the day, including 20 Blue Tits (ouch!), 3 Chaffinch, 7 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 1 Great Tit, 3 Dunnock, 1 Wren, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Robin and 3 Blackbird. A male Sparrowhawk hunting some Skylark in the field beside Walsey was some added excitement in between net rounds.

Signs of Spring were also evident. I noticed the first blossom flowers starting to appear on a Blackthorn whilst putting one of the nets up in the morning. I heard the first Little Grebes singing of the year on Snipe’s Marsh. A very vocal booming Stock Dove was a nice soundtrack for much of the days ringing activities. Hopefully this is an early sign that Spring isn’t too far away and migration won’t be long in getting going – I’m looking forward to welcoming back our first Chiffchaffs of the year soon.