Kevin

Well. This was a lovely surprise in the garden this morning: partially leucistic Lesser Redpoll. Almost as if it put its Christmas hat on specially!

Torturous time trying to get an issue resolved by @bt_uk for my mum. One hour plus of grief via automated phone systems/online chats going nowhere. Finally spoke with the excellent Wayne in executive complaints and almost totally sorted in 10mins! Victory for real humans!

Delighted with my suburban Tree Sparrow project (Glasgow) results for 2024. 122 pulli/adults given Darvics. 22 different resightings of 9 birds on local garden feeders 16 different ringed birds retrapped during mist-netting sessions. Retraps mainly 2024 birds.

Nice garden visitor this morning. Weasel hunting down field mice in the garden.

Fantastic Jack Snipe retrap at my small suburban farmland study site. The bird was first caught and ringed as an adult on 21st December 2023. It was retrapped a few weeks ago this winter a few hundred meters away. Thermal doing the business once again!

Thermal imaging/dazzling season has well and truly begun! Super 2 sessions at two of our farmland study sites near Glasgow produced 4 Woodcock, 3 Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Redwing and a stunning Golden Plover.

'Squirrel-proof' feeder - all you can eat buffet version it would appear!

Another dazzling session last night at one of our two main study sites in East Renfrewshire delivered a further 2 Common Snipe, taking the dazzling total since 24th Aug to 15 Commons (incl. 4 retraps - oldest to Dec 2023)

Despite the chronic summer, our Tree Sparrow nestbox project on Glasgow's southside has had its best year since we started in 2022. So far we've ringed 116 birds (mainly pulli and recently fledged juvs). Also retrapped 16 birds thus year (oldest ringed as a pullus in June 2022).

Tree Sparrow clutch 2s hatching. Currently six boxes active (a few more hopefully to lay) with circa 6 eggs/chicks per box. Fingers crossed for an improved set of results this time round. – at Carmunnock, Scotland

FINALLY a half decent mist-netting session at our main Tree Sparrow study site. 11 TS caught (2 recently ringed as pulli on 24th May), 4 more juveniles and 5 breeding adults. By-catch included our first Whitethroat of the year and a couple of House Sparrows. – at Carmunnock, Scotland

After a hideous start to our Tree Sparrow nestboxes this year with ringed pulli down from 46 last year to 15 this year, it was great to record our first ever clutch at our new site only 2 miles from our main site. Now ......... if only we can get exchange between these sites! – at Carmunnock, Scotland

1st visit of the year to a long-standing Pied Fly nestbox study site with colleagues from the Clyde Ringing Group. After an 11 hour marathon we had 30+ active nests, 19 retrapped returning adults, circa 100 pulli ringed and a bycatch of redstart and nuthatch. Back next week! – at Carmunnock, Scotland

It's been a tough start for clutch 1 Tree Sparrows at my 50 nestbox project site on Glasgow's southside. Poor weather has impacted clutch success many eggs failing to hatch, or pullli dying shortly after hatching. Good to get 7 healthy birds (from 3 boxes) colour-ringed today. – at Carmunnock, Scotland

Rapid movement of a Siskin I ringed in my south Glasgow garden on 29.3.24, which was controlled by Grampian Ringing Group in Moray, 3 days later. A movement of 209 km.

Wee bit of Stonechat colour ringing last night. – at Carmunnock, Scotland

Absolute privilege to ring this stunner this aftermoon. – at Scotland, United Kingdom

Clyde Ringing Group - Tiree wader-fest! Another great session with mainly waders caught. 77 new birds: 27 Turnstone, 14 Sanderling, 14 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Whimbrel, a stunning Curlew Sandpiper + a Barr-tailed Godwit control! 5 Little Terns + 8 Arctics +3 Commons as well! – at Scotland, United Kingdom

Absolutely astonishing night ringing with colleagues from the Clyde Ringing Group on Tiree. Finished the session with 133 new birds ringed, 3 BTO Common Tern Controls and a South African ringed bird. 22 Little Terns and 35 Arctic Terns were the highlight of the session. – at Scotland, United Kingdom

After a very slow start, delighted to report Tree Sparrow eggs in 13 of our nestboxes (out of 50) at our project site. Several nests also incomplete so potentially a few more birds still to lay and a few more boxes to check. Max clutch size was 7 - average 5 – at Carmunnock, Scotland

Great morning ringing Wheatear on a farmland site in East Renfrewshire.