Well, that's got your attention!

Today Chris had an extraction tick (new species to remove from the nets).  A consequence of bird ringers using mist nets is that they occasionally catch other animals.  Chris has, previously, extracted from mist nets various bats, butterflies and large beetles; hornets, wasps, dragonflies, frogs; and a toad that had mysteriously got into the second net panel. 

This morning's new extraction was not a new species - dragonflies again; but it was a copulating pair.  The nuptial pair were conjoined in typical dragonfly fashion at their abdomen and thorax, so forming a flying "heart-shaped" couple.  With patience and care dragonflies can be extracted without harming them.  This was done, and the pair flew-off; their coitous uninterupted.  Hopefully they found a suitable wet spot for the female to lay her fertilised eggs. 

After the standard session in the ringing garden Henrik and Chris opened some nets at the pond as swallows, yellow wagtails and good numbers of goldfinch had been seen flying around.  Also, in the early morning - dawn - tree pipits had been briefly heard.  It was a success with some of all the above mentioned species being caught.  Then the final bird out of those nets was a pleasant surprise: a stonechat.  From a distance it appeared to be a juvenile but upon extraction it was an adult male in advanced moult; despite its somewhat tatty appearance it was an interesting bird to study and ring.

People at the station: Henrik Jørgensen and Chris Sharp