Extraction time!

Due to the unpredictable Welsh weather recently (well, the past 4 months really!), we've barely been out on ringing trips.
Last weekend I missed out on a wader mist netting session due to a visit to Scotland, but I must say that I was quietly pleased that they didn't catch much - 1 Curlew and a handful of Oystercatchers. So when Steve e-mailed to say we'd be going out on Sunday morning, I was very keen, despite still recovering from a hectic week (Hen weekend and Crufts!) Saturday evening Steve e-mailed to warn us that the wind was looking breezy for an early start but we might give it a go. I set my alarm for 6.30 and got an early-ish night. At 6.40 Steve e-mailed to say no go, but we might try again in the afternoon. I managed to get back to sleep for a few hours and woke up at a more normal Sunday time of 10am! Another e-mail at lunchtime confirmed ringing as YES, so off we went to Arthurs, picking up Conor and Jaani en route.

Photo by Conor John

I had a feeling that I might be getting some extraction practice today, and I wasn't wrong! I joined Rachel clearing the nets while the boys ringed and processed the birds. We had plenty of the usual culprits - Blue Tits and Great Tits in abundance, along with House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Long Tailed Tit, Robin and Coal Tit. We also had a retrap Treecreeper from our last visit and a very exciting Brambling, which truly tested my ID skills as I can't remember the last time I saw one, and certainly never in the hand! Steve informed us that he usually gets one a year, so I've had a good start to 2014 ringing two annual birds (the other being the Treecreeper).
We also almost had a Sparrowhawk, that decided to try its luck at the feeders while we were extracting. I just heard a chorus of chattering from the birds and looked up to see it miss the top shelf by an inch and fly off over the trees.
My extracting is coming along slowly. I'm definitely going to have to learn how to be ambidextrous when dealing with birds in nets, as at the moment I'm still very much all fingers and thumbs! I'm sure with practice I'll get there, but it would be nice to not come home feeling like a milk bottle. Oh, and I discovered that purple is NOT a suitable nail colour for extracting Blue Tits, although it doesn't hurt so much when they peck your nail cos they can't grab hold of it!

Anyway, the flowers are out, the birds are "twitterpating" and the weather seems to be improving (slightly)... so maybe we'll get out a bit more regularly in the coming weeks. Although I'm betting the last week in March will be perfect ringing conditions just cos I'll be up in Scotland for a wedding.