Summary of the last few days

We have decided that, because there isn't a lot to discuss in the blogs, we don't do a blog every day but every few days, so that we don't have to write 3 sentences just to make a blog. 

The last few days have been way better with the weather then before. With almost no rain and less wind, I opened the nets a few times. This resulted in 3 days over 20 birds, especially young birds. It is still very slow compared to the first weeks I got here and definetely a little later in end summer-begin autumn, but it is pretty good for the time of year. One of the birds that should be mentioned was a marsh tit, which has been caught only once before. 

Willow tit

For my own shrike project, I found today the 4th nest. 1 nest I have ringed last weekend, 2 other nests still had eggs and this nest was still empty, they have started a little bit later then I'd expected and hoped. Besides the shrikes, a nice side catch was a nest of a corn bunting. It is not yet a common breeding bird here, but today I figured there are at least 3 pairs with a nest, so still enough to discover.

corn bunting

2 days ago we had a working day, which ment that we cleaned the whole shed and did some gardening. Because of the lack of battery power, I had some trouble with especially mowing the lanes, so there is still a part that needs to be mowed, but I am planning to do that tomorrow, when the military area is closed for 2 days again. 

Power team!

I have also been out a few times for night catching, which got me another partridge, and last night I had 8 birds, one stonechat, 2 skylarks, 2 common whitethroats, 2 meadow pipits and a linnet. Pretty good, as my record for one night was standing on 5.

About the observations we can be short, but lets give it a positive twist. Théotim has enough time and oppertunities to get to know the species really well, because when he (finally) sees some birds migrating, he can take his time to take a good look at them.