Continued cold.

With the cold weather from last week looking like it would stay for a while there was continued effort to catch a few birds. This week, time was spent at Stanley Park and Fairhaven lake mainly with 35 new birds being captured either in traps or by hand.

11 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
1 Long-tailed Tit
1 Robin
5 Starling
1 Mallard
6 Coot
8 Black-Headed Gull

In addition to the birds caught there was also a few noteworthy sightings, 4 Colour-ringed Coot at Fairhaven on the 9th all came from outside the Fylde but as yet we are yet to hear where they were originally ringed. Also 2 or 3 from Stanley park have been ringed elsewhere.

2 Black-headed Gull Darvics were read this week, one from Norway (Fairhaven Lake bird) and 1,White-VLJ from Denmark, returning for it's 5th Winter to Stanley park. It's always worth checking a roosting flock of gulls for darvics or metal rings as they are very often readable and there's many projects within Northern Europe where birds are being colour ringed, one within the North West of England has been started by Kane Brides.

Besides grabbing and trapping, this weekend I joined Seumus and set out to Rawcliffe Moss feeding station where we erected 2 nets. A nice morning was had with catch of 36 birds, 14 were recaptures but all of this data is worthwhile. 10 Yellowhammers were the undoubted highlight. For more see www.fleetwoodbirder.blogspot.com/

This year has got off to a flying start with over 450 birds already ringed, comparable with this time last year when only 290 new birds had been ringed. Our success this year is probably down to increased effort and better weather. Hopefully our luck continues...

Remember, please look out for birds with rings on when you are out and about as it really is useful to hear about any birds sighted. Any colour ringed Coot sighted can be sent to Kanebrides'@'gmail.com