Swallows, Swans, Sand Martins and Seabirds!

Exam term is over, with no more catches, despite my efforts with a potter trap and a tub of mealworms (which only emptied when I didn't have it set/wasn't watching it).

Almost as soon as I got back I was off ringing though, with Kane etc. around Windermere. The target for this trip was Swallow pulli, and to that end we visited a handful of farms down very twisty, very potholed, and occasionally very steep roads. We caught about 30 in total, including some adults we mist netted, before heading back to Bowness for a check on the Swans. Of about 80 there, only 5 didnt have rings on! Nevertheless, we recaught some whose darvics (plastic rings) needed adjusting/regluing, fixed those, and also caught one whose metal ring had this mysterious white substance on. We couldnt quite figure out what it was, but it looked suspicously like paint! I wonder what it had been up to.

On Thursday I signed myself up for a sand martin catching session with North Lancs Ringing Group. We set a single net on the edge of a river, just outside the sand martin holes, and before we were even done setting it, there were birds in the net! Overall we caught 99 birds, which was particularly impressive considering we only had the net up for 2 half hour sessions.

And lastly, the most exciting bit! On Monday I am headed off for a seabird ringing expedition in the Shiant Isles in Scotland! I dont really know what to expect but I'm certainly looking forward to it. More on this later...