After yesterday’s bumper crop of Blue Tits we had concerns that some that didn’t go may still be busying themselves about the garden. It wasn’t the Blue Tits themselves that were a bit of a worry, but that Goldcrests seem to be starting to move now and the last thing we need is Blue Tits and Goldcrests together in the nets.

The three of us took the first round, then Vagn and Chris settled down to ring while I stayed outside and monitored the birds, nets, weather, migration – everything worth monitoring, was monitored! There was also quite a bit of extracting to do too. Neither Blue Tits or Goldcrests are very early risers it seems, but they were in the garden in time for the 8am round. As we had suspected, there were Blue Tits but far less than yesterday and many Goldcrests.

Some birds were ringed at the net and we took yet another Swedish control Blue Tit. The final total exceeded that of the 15^th and as I write I can see rather a lot of crests picking over scrubs around the fuglehus, so I think we can expect more Goldcrests tomorrow and plenty of recaptures.

Totals: 441 (12)

Gærdesmutte / Wren – 17
Jernspurv / Dunnock – 2
Rødhals / Robin – 27 (7)
Solsort / Blackbird – 2
Vindrossel / Redwing - 1
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush – 4
Munk / Blackcap - 1
Gransanger / Chiffchaff – 24
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest– 249 (1)
Rødtoppet Fuglekonge / Firecrest – 1
Sortmejse / Coal Tit – 1
Blåmejse / Blue Tit – 91 (3 including 2 controls from Sweden and Denmark)
Musvit / Great Tit – 9
Gråspurv / House Sparrow - 1
Skovspurv / Tree Sparrow – 4
Bogfinke / Chaffinch – 1
Kvækerfinke / Brambling – 1
Grønirisk / Greenfinch – 2
Stilits / Goldfinch – 1
Grønsisken / Siskin - 2