31 August

Finally, after a day shy of four weeks, I was back bird ringing today. Trevor has been hard at work creating new rides and the autumn migration is proving more successful than the spring. We had a real star this morning – the top picture of its primary wing feathers is a clue. I’m breaking myself back into the swing of things gently and didn’t arrive at the Chateau des Marais until 9 o’clock. Trevor would have been there since before six, unfurling the nets and ringing birds from daybreak.

For me the first bird out of the net was … (drumroll) … a WRYNECK 😆😆😆

You could have knocked me over with a feather as this bird has been at the top of my birds to see for about two years. I have never seen one before. Those of you who follow Guernsey Birdwatching on Facebook will know that Nature Guernsey held an open morning at Pleinmont on Sunday. I had to pull out of the bird ringing and was grieved that I missed seeing a Wryneck that Charlotte, my fellow trainee, extracted and ringed. Not to mention the one that was seen over a couple of days closer to home at Chouet.

I could not believe my luck to see one and then to hold it and ring it – it’s just the best thing ever. What an amazing bird with cryptic plumage that has to be seen to be believed.

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Smaller than I thought it would be, it took a keen interest in everything that was going on and didn’t keep its head still for a moment. I could have admired it for the rest of the morning, but of course having taken photos of plumage to aid ageing and sexing it, and a short video to show how it gets its name, we soon released it.

The other first from this morning was Reed Warbler as I had not ringed one until today. Again, lovely to have it in the hand to appreciate a how relatively long the bill is. Heard more often than seen in the breeding season.

The finches are coming back into the area. There are plenty of thistles for the Goldfinch to feed on. Most of the ones ringed today (17 in total) were this year’s birds, but the plumage of one individual showed that it was from last year: the shorter primary feather in the wing is a new one as are the two central tail feathers, rounded rather than pointed.

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I would like to have added a photo of two Long-tailed Tits (bird ringers’ code is LOTTI which seems to suit them well). I went to weigh the first one, being very careful as I told it I knew its tricks, and with a wriggle it was gone. Clearly I don’t know its tricks well enough. I did manage the second one but it had to be released quickly as they stay in family groups. That photo will have to wait for another day.