1st Salisbury Plain visit of the year. The Nightingale was the star of the 76 birds processed morning but we also caught 2 Grasshopper, 2 Sedge Warbler's, 5 Whitethroat inc. a retrap from 2023 #birdringing #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
When I 1st got my C permit in 2003 I started a Nightingale ringing project at a site on Salisbury Plain that held up to 15 singing males. No's declined with the last bird in 2018. Never thought we'd catch another. Quite an emotional experience #birdringing #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Left my Dad to it at Sevenhampton on a lovely spring day. 50 birds processed inc. an impressive 32 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff with a rather nice male Redstart as a bonus. This is only the 4th spring Redstart caught at this site in 25 years. Also a retrap Chiff ringed in 2021 @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Lovely spring morning full of birdsong at Sevenhampton. A big 22 Blackcap's ringed with un-ringed, singing birds passing us by at the ringing table all morning. Also ringed, 2 Chiffchaff plus a couple of stunning male Greenfinch #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Another glorious spring day at Sevenhampton. Lots of Redpoll movement although we only caught 3. Also, 3 new Blackcap, a random Coal Tit, Reed Bunting & 5 Chiffchaff inc. a retrap from 2025. Also 2 bonus B-1's waking up the residents of Fairford nice & early #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Early fog at Sevenhampton soon cleared into a warm sunny spring morning. 4 Chiffchaff ringed & plenty more around. We also caught a surprise new Marsh Tit along with a Jay that had the usual attitude problems #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Sevenhampton today. A chilly start turned into a glorious warm spring day. Probably the last Redwing of the winter ringed along with a passing Redpoll were the highlights. We also re-trapped a pair of Marsh Tit's originally trapped a year ago #birdrinigng #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Spring is certainly taking over as the 1st warbler's of the year at Sevenhampton were trapped this morning, a Chiffchaff & 2 Blackcap. Plenty of Redwing still around with another 5 ringed today @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Chilly morning at Sevenhampton with the breeze coming from the north. A fine male Brambling was the pick of the bunch today along with another 5 new Redwing taking us to 173 for the year so far #birdringing #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing recovery: Grasshopper Warbler ringed by us on Salisbury Plain on the 28th August 2025, recovered Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France on the 18th September 2025. 21 days since ringed, 437km movement @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Another big thrush morning at Sevenhampton with 700 Redwing & 250 Fieldfare moving through with 64 Redwing & a Fieldfare ringed. 2 retrap adult Marsh Tit's are 50% of the local population. The Blackbird had a massive 141mm wing so likely a continental bird #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing recovery: Goldfinch ringed at Sevenhampton on the 22nd October 2025, recovered at Saint Mars-sur-la-Futaie, Mayenne, France on the 7th January 2026. 77 days since ringed, 357km movement #birdringing #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Snow cover further north meant a massive cold weather movement of thrushes at Sevenhampton this morning involving c700 Redwing & c250 Fieldfare passing over the top of the ringing table. We ringed an impressive 72 Redwing, all but one were 1st winter's #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
1st session of 2026 at Sevenhampton this morning. Big numbers of thrushes still around with 300 each of Fieldfare & Redwing resulting in 1 & 23 respectively ringed amongst the usual tit & finch fare #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Frosty start at Sevenhampton. Nice species selection ringed with Starling, 9 Redwing. 5 finch species inc. Redpoll & the 1st Brambling for 4 winters. The days of ringing 40 Greenfinch a session are long gone. Todays 4 birds are the 1st ringed here since 2021 #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Pleasant morning at Sevenhampton. 1st Autumn Fieldfare ringed with 15 Redwing's. Redpoll no's are slowly picking up & the 9 caught today is our best day total after a few meagre years #birdringing #migration #
North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing control: Chiffchaff ringed at Rutland Water on the 25th September 2025, controlled by us on Salisbury Plain on the 11th October 2025. 16 days since ringed, 181km movement #birdringing #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing recovery: Reed Warbler ringed by us on Salisbury Plain on 26th August 2023, recovered at Much Markle, Herefordshire on 13th August 2025. 718 days since ringed, 93km movement #birdringing #migration
Too breezy for Salisbury Plain so it was a visit to Sevenhampton this morning. 1st morning of the Autumn going for Redwing's with 9 ringed along with 2 Song Thrush & a continental looking Blackbird. Lots of Tit's & even more leaves as the breeze picked up #birdringing #migration
Decent moth morning in Swindon VC7. 18 species inc. 3 Merveille de Jour for a 1st garden record, 3 Green-brindled Crescent, Red-line Quaker, November Moth, a late Light Emerald, Cypress Carper, 2 Red-green Carpet #mothsmatter #teammoth
Salisbury Plain today. An impressive 164 birds processed given the lateness of the season inc. 2 Firecrest, 115 Chiffchaff, 26 Blackcap & just a single Meadow Pipit. 12 Redwing over, the 1st of the Autumn & the best ever views of Great Bustard on the way off down to 30m #birdringing #migration
North Wiltshire Ringing Group recovery: Redwing ringed at Sevenhampton on 12th November 2011, recovered at Farlington Marsh, Hants on 14th September 2025. Interesting one as leg only found so how long has it been dead? 5055 days since ringed, 96km movement #birdringing #migration
Yellow-browed Bunting trapped, ringed and released at the Swannery. It's flown to the hedge which runs alongside the Swannery grounds and the bird may be viewable from the permissive path heading west from Grove Lane.
Salisbury Plain today. The catch today was dominated by 88 Chiffchaff plus still plenty of Blackcap's with 64 ringed. We also ringed our 4th Firecrest of the Autumn. Total of 166 birds processed #birdringing #Migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Bit on the chilly side for moths last night in my Swindon garden VC7. Still managed 2 Black Rustic, Orange Sallow & Angle Shades #teammoth #mothsmatter
Salisbury Plain today: 199 birds processed. Chiffchaff no's increasing with 73 ringed along with a decent 110 Blackcap's. Highlight was our 3rd Firecrest of the Autumn. Steady trickle of Swallow's heading south & over 100 Meadow Pipit's #birdringing #migration
Warm but windy night in Swindon but gave the moths a go. Rewarded with a Red Underwing (shame it's never blue) & the gardens 2nd Clancy's Rustic which is still quite scarce in VC7 #mothsmatter #teammoth
North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing control: Chiffchaff ringed at St Twynnells, Pembrokeshire on the 28th June 2025, controlled by us on Salisbury Plain on the 8th September 2025. 72 days since ringed, 214km movement #birdringing #migration
Salisbury Plain today before the storm closed in. Cautious net set with a small team but we still processed 282 birds. Site rarity in the form of a Treecreeper + tardy single Garden & Sedge Warbler's. Chiffchaffs increasing with 41 but the bulk of the catch were 231 Blackcaps #birdringing #migration
North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing control: Sedge Warbler ringed 9th August 2025 at Trimley Marshes, Suffolk, controlled by us on Salisbury Plain on the 16th August 2025. 7 days since ringed, 238km movement west #birdringing #Migration