The last of the Swallows......

There are still Swallows knocking around but the majority seem to have deserted the breeding areas. This adult and juvenile have nested nearby and are still hanging around the vicinity. I was in Sweden this week and there are still loads of Swallows and White Wagtails still over there but the Fieldfares are massing in flocks around Stockholm. It'll soon be time to welcome the winter visitors................

Plenty of action in the garden and Greenfinch numbers are seemingly up on the last couple of years so it looks as if they've had a good breeding season. My ringing figures show that the number of Greenfinches caught as a percentage of the total is already 7.6% this year whereas last year it was 6.9% and the year before that 1.6%. Its to soon to hope the numbers are bouncing back after the outbreak of Trichomonas a couple of years ago.

Young Chaffinches and Goldfinches seem to be around in good numbers as well.

I had a great day canon netting waders with the SCAN ringing group on Lavan Sands, N. Wales last weekend. Not many birds caught but they did include a Finnish control. It just goes to show how internationally important our estuaries are for wintering waders.