Woodpecker Double, Longham Lakes, May 2012 (Brenda Cook)
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Longham Lakes, May 2012 (Brenda Cook)
Wednesday May 16th
Ringing at Longham this morning was enlivened by an unusual double woodpecker catch. Both these individuals were caught at separate ends of the same net, at exactly the same time. They were both males with brood patches, proving that both are breeding on-site (or at least a woodpecker’s flight from the ringing site on the Settling Marsh). Extracting them from the net and processing them was a pretty hazardous task, as attested by the copious blood on the ringers’ hands. Otherwise, plenty of warblers were ringed, including the first Blackcaps of the year.
Meanwhile, Alan Pearce took this sensational picture of Swifts at Longham this morning.
Swifts, Longham Lakes, 16 May 2012 (Alan Pearce)