The Weekend

Our ringing this weekend is best described as "humph".

Friday night saw an attempt to catch Redshank but it turned into an episiode of "men that stare at nets". Clear skies didn't help but the distinct lack of any birds was main problem. However, it was an opportunity to admire CJ's newly built keeping box; note that this was deployed once it was clear that we wouldn't need it. A pasty and rissole from the Cardiff indoor market was a highlight.

On Saturday, with a chill in the air and it being too windy to put up nets we decided to try our hands at increasing the Coot totals at Cosmeston. Try is the operative word. With no helpful members of the public and unhelpful birds we were as successful with the coots as we were with the redshank. Eventually the temptation was too great and we ringed a few cygnet and adult swans. Attempts to catch Mallards at a different spot on the lakes were equally unsuccessful. We did manage to spring trap a Great Tit which became the first bird Wayne has ringed!

Sunday, well we decided not to bother.

We made a quick stop to the bay to try for coot.
This picture pretty much sums up the weekend

Yeah... we weren't sure what was happening either....

Very few things will put a swan off its bread.

Wayne's first bird gets a look over. We know what you're thinking "Nice spring trap".