1st Scania for the day.

It’s always exciting conducting the first of our nighttime surveys on a new study site in the project and tonight was no exception. We ringed two Short-eared Owls, a new species for the farm, and both hunting on disused gallops now being managed back to species rich grassland.

Not often left speechless but using lasers, callers, shotguns, AK-47s to bring down anything in flight from Robins to Owls in a fashion resembling anti-aircraft fire is something else and just outright awful.

First time for me on the Hovercraft.

Having previously attempted the 50 last year and got a closed top both ways, when this turns up before the m1 it's a clear albeit colder and bit longer choice that may of been made.

A short gap in the weather allowed for a fantastic survey on the Lambourn Downs this morning. Although we only ringed 78 birds this included 37 Yellowhammers and 17 Corn Buntings. The gamekeeper and farmer are now even more keen to create new areas of habitat for farmland birds.

Our weekend hosting the Teifi Ringing Group continued with a busy bird ringing survey on the Lambourn Downs where we processed 171 birds, including 108 Linnets, 13 Corn Buntings and 33 Yellowhammers. We also recaptured a Linnet originally ringed 6km away in June 2022.

Hmm yes, Glasgow! Young Bus Professionals

Huge migrant day on Salisbury Plain with our best ever August catch of 335 birds. Day record for Sedge (102), Reed (55) & Willow (53). Also 2 Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Stonechat, 7 Whinchat, 24 Garden. Best bird, a Marsh Warbler the 15th warbler species for the site

North Wilts RG on Salisbury Plain today joined by Emmanuel Jatta who would normally be ringing at the Kartong Bird Observatory in The Gambia. Emmanuel has spent 4 months ringing at Skokholm BO, Suffolk, Wales & Scotland. He goes home with a fantastic scarred arm from by a Gannet!

Busy Salisbury Plain morning with 282 birds processed. The catch was dominated by 67 Chiffchaff & 191 Blackcap with this species now passing 30,000 on my rings. Also some variety with Whinchat, Tree Pipit, Whitethroat, 2 Garden & 5 Sedge Warbler #birdringing #migration

Salisbury Plain does it again. 1st bird today was a late Grasshopper Warbler followed by a fabulous Firecrest. Bulk of catch = 73 Chiffchaff & 68 Blackcap. The last bird was a Yellow-browed Warbler, a 1st for the site & the 17th warbler species ringed here #birdringing #migration

An Owl-tastic weekend. Little and Tawny handled for the first time yesterday, the smallest and largest we have in the UK. West Oxfordshire Farmland Bird Project

Manx Shearwater chick EM82816 was last seen on 26th August, its wing about 10mm short of fledging length. It was found exhausted on a Brazilian beach on 8th October, 43 days later. So 216km a day and in reality a lot more than that