Different ringing

 So not all bird ringing involves mist nets.....sometimes it involves creeping around at night trying to catch whats about...!!

With several ground loving birds on offer, it was off to Abbey Farm near Sandwich Bay to try to catch some of them....the main aim being Woodcock....these are photos from a second night.....

Having assumed initially that we would be more succesful catching Common Snipe rather than Jack Snipe, we were amazed to find four Jack Snipe in our landing net....wow!!....

Jack Snipe are slightly smaller than Common Snipe and hence have a shorter bill, though again there is variation between males and females.

A quick look at the wing....I will be making a comparison of

wings...not an ageing criteria but interesting to note the white

tips of the coverts differ from bird to bird.

An important ageing criteria are the undertail coverts.

....and tail feather colour....

...measuring head and bill....

Classy bird!

Another bird out in the fields....and a bit of a surprise that we caught one the first time we attempted night ringing....second time out....three!

Can anyone deny the fabulous song of the Skylark....

First a look at the wing....again...not an ageing criteria...more...curiosity...

We were lucky enough to catch two within a few minutes allowing

an interesting size and colour comparison...

Ready to sing....well, in the coming spring....

Long hind claw.  Many ground loving birds have these 

to provide stability.

...oo's a pretty boy....or girl....cant sex these in winter....