Still not managed to get any more holiday snaps sorted - need some more wet evenings!
The reserve has been looking awesome at the moment now the water levels are dropping. Last Friday we had a reserve record 706 black-tailed godwits and yeaterday evening there were 350 blackwit, 300 barwit, 200 knot, 12 spotshank, 8 ruff, 4 green sands, 3 LRP and 3 greenshank - and it is still only June!!
Finally got out ringing on Sunday after nearly a month and there was ton of birds. 90% were juvenile robin, dunnock and tits although a new juv great spot was nice. By the end of the morning we had rung 75 new birds and re-trapped 12. Also found out that a greenfinch that I caught in the garden in April was ringed at Holme NOA 3 years ago.
Moth numbers are on the increase. Cloudy and warm conditions last Tuesday produced 83 moths of 41 species. Beautiful hooktip was a new species for me.
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Thursday, 16 June 2011
Fantastic birds, amazing scenery, Colorado is highly recomended as a destination for anyone. Still got a touch of jetlag but getting back into the swing of things now.
Final total of 189 birds (with one still pending further investigation) which wasn't bad considering the flycatchers and sparrows were a nightmare to ID. Got loads of photos (ca800!) which need to be edited but I will attempt to put on the highlights in the coming days and weeks.
Top 5 birds
1. Broad-tailed hummingbird
2. Clark's nutcracker
3. Mountain bluebird
4. American avocet
5. Mountain plover
Were very jammy with a few difficult species especially the mountain plovers. The first day we found 3 outside the main area while looking for upland sandpiper and then the next day we had an adult with 2 chicks! - not bad considering there are less than 10,000 birds and only one of two places where they breed! Also got lucky with pine grosbeak, three-toed woodpecker (flushed from the side of the road), rosy-finches and white-tailed ptarmigan.
More to come soon
Final total of 189 birds (with one still pending further investigation) which wasn't bad considering the flycatchers and sparrows were a nightmare to ID. Got loads of photos (ca800!) which need to be edited but I will attempt to put on the highlights in the coming days and weeks.
Top 5 birds
1. Broad-tailed hummingbird
2. Clark's nutcracker
3. Mountain bluebird
4. American avocet
5. Mountain plover
Were very jammy with a few difficult species especially the mountain plovers. The first day we found 3 outside the main area while looking for upland sandpiper and then the next day we had an adult with 2 chicks! - not bad considering there are less than 10,000 birds and only one of two places where they breed! Also got lucky with pine grosbeak, three-toed woodpecker (flushed from the side of the road), rosy-finches and white-tailed ptarmigan.
More to come soon
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