REDSTART RINGING

The number of Redstarts that have taken up residency to breed in our nest box colony have been a bit disappointing this year with only two pair compared to last year when we had four. We've also put up extra boxes to encourage more to breed in them but they remain unused, for some reason it just hasn't happened. I don't think it's the lack of numbers as there seem to be singing Redstarts everywhere I think that there must be a good number of natural sites and this year the birds have chosen to use them.

Anyway the chicks in two that they have used are now big enough to ring so Stephen the conservationist Carter came over to do just that.

redstart chicks

Here's the adult male and female that have both been working hard feeding their hungry brood.

male

female

Below is a video of Steve ringing the chicks in both boxes.

Here's a couple of pic's of some nice birds at my feeders.

pair of Siskins

lesser redpole

who doesn't love a Robin

Hard to believe that them tiny Redstart chicks will be making their way to Africa in a few months time, bonvoyage!!