September 22nd

We spent the morning ringing at Shuart where there had been an overnight fall of Blackcaps and to a lesser extent Chiffchaffs. We recorded 100 Blackcaps, 45 Chiffchaffs, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Kestrels, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Common Buzzards, 157 Siskins flying W, 1 Firecrest, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Jays, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Grey Wagtails, 12 Red-legged Partridges and 2 Swallows.

Birds ringed 118: Chiffchaff 25, Firecrest 1, Wren 3, Blackcap 82, Whitethroat 1, Great Tit 1, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 4.

Male Blackcap

Dave Smith was also out for three and a half hours and walked from Shuart to Plumpudding and along the railway embankment to Coldharbour. He counted 55 Mallard, 6 Red-legged Partridges, 52 Lapwing, 40 Ringed Plovers, 55 Turnstone, 2 Sanderling, 1 Common Sandpiper, 6 Redshank, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine, 1 Jay, 1 Bearded Tit, 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler, 3 Sand Martins, 6 Swallows, 1 Willow Warbler, 28 Chiffchaffs, 100 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Whitethroats, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Song Thrushes, 3 Wheatears, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 10 Chaffinches, 100 Goldfinches W and 225 Siskins W.