With the recent bad weather having stopped any ringing for the previous two weekends, teams were out on bed nos 1 and 3 over the weekend.

Dave Riley was joined by Ron Brumby on No1, catching just seven birds, with a Chiffchaff being the star bird.

The team on No3 bed managed to deploy eight nets catching 43 birds with 18 new, including a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Blackbirds.

Sightings were restricted to a Snipe on No1 bed and 3 Snipe on No3.

17th and 24th December 2011

The inclement weather has reduced the ringing to a minimum recently, with Dave Riley getting out just once over the fortnight, on 22nd, catching 26 birds, with the 12 new including four Chaffinches.

Two sessions took place on No3 bed during the fortnight, with Mike Miles out on 17th, catching 34 birds with 11 new, while Kieran was out on 22nd and 24th, catching 51 new, with the highlight being their second Jack Snipe of the year, along with 12 Reed Buntings.

Sighings were from No1 bed and included small numbers of Greylag Goose, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Redwings, Fieldfare, 30+ Blackbirds and two Lesser Redpolls.

Nothing special on the ringing front, other than a Lesser Redpoll caught on No1 bed. Sightings were also restrictive, with a Tawny Owl on No3 bed and a singing Chiffchaff on No1 bed, a very unusual record, the earliest I have ever heard one singing is mid-March, when the returning birds begin to appear.