Success in Failure

Ringing at my“Office Site” usually results in a load of tits and dashed expectations. So against all perceived wisdom I decided to go ringing there today. I’m not sure what I expected. Perhaps sleep deprivation was taking its toll and I truly believed (again) that the recent redstart added to the office list or the movement of chiff, wilwa etc I’d see out of the office over the last few days, would some how translate it to a meaningful ringing experience.

Four great tits later the feeding station was abandoned for something different. If I was going to catch naff all, I’d at least catch naff all in style. After much sweating, swearing and irritation a net was duly erected near by and with a CD playing the chatter chatter of swallow song, I stood back and watched for the best part of an hour and a half as 100 so swallows passed over head un-phased. Some did come down and whiz teasingly close to the net – if only there had been a bit less wind then may be just maybe…

There was an upshot of this unsuccessful venture. During the interludes between swallow flocks the net was checked for “by-catch”; nothing until the last check when, low and behold a reed warbler was in the net! This is a first for the site and hopefully one of more to come at this site; as one great ringer used to say “Well, it’s a start!”