I'm back from five nights away on a ringing course. I was a bit worried before I went (it sounded full-on and rather intense) but once I found my feet and got the hang of how the procedures worked, I really enjoyed myself.
When a person is tired of Wrynecks, they are tired of life.
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| Wryneck! |
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| Wryneck!! |
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| TWO Wrynecks! |
Not only are they astonishingly beautiful, they also
do crazy things (video not mine, but ours did similar things. The birds aren't hurt; it's a threat display intended to confuse a would-be predator).
We were too busy to take many photos, but here is a small selection...
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| Male Bearded Tit! |
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| Fabulous juvenile Whinchat |
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| Female Nuthatch |
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| Repeat-offender Tufted Duck - caught in a duck trap that works on the same principle as a lobster pot |
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| Migrant warblers eat loads of berries. This is what ringers fuel up with at the pub... |
We also caught Yellow Wagtails, House and Sand Martins, Swallows, Redstarts, Nightingales, Grasshopper, Willow, Sedge, Reed and Garden Warblers, Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats, a Mistle Thrush, a few Wrens, a Goldfinch, a mercifully small number of Blue and Great Tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a load of other stuff I can't remember...
Oh, and while I was away, garden bird number 99 made it onto the list - Wigeon!
You must have had a wonderful time. Those photos are marvellous! The wryneck is amazing... looks like an animated piece of bark. Thanks for sharing. Top post! Top blog!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photographs. A Wigeon in the garden Katie.??
ReplyDeleteRinging really does give a great opportunity to get fabulous close shots of the birds. I had never heard of a Wryneck and the video shows how it got its name.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots - I've never seen a Wryneck - aren't they super!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteIs that cheesecake? what flavour?
ReplyDeletegreat picture, but now I have to go and find something to eat!
Sorry for being slow to reply to your comments...
ReplyDelete@Petra, yes I had a wonderful time - I'm so pleased I went
@Roy. Apparently two Wigeon flew past the garden towards a nearby lake, and under our rules that's good enough :o)
@Midmarsh John, I knew from the name Wryneck that they must do something funny with their necks, but I never realised they did that!
@Scriptor Senex, yes, they're absolutely gorgeous. Sigh.....
@Andrew, thanks, delighted you like the pics
@Tony, it was banoffee pie and yes, it tasted as good as it looked. Mmm.