Revtangen BO January 20th

Nets open 09-18. Mostly cloudy, but a few sunrays hit us now and then. Around 0 degrees, light SE. Most nets were frozen so it took a long time before all nets were catching, and we had to use at least 100 liters of hot waters to thaw the most difficult cases. The disturbance to the trapping area was quite significant before lunch because of this. Another Long-eared Owl was caught just after dark, in exactly the same spot as the one caught earlier this month. The weights revealed a significant drop i body condition among most Fieldfares, it is obvious that they are struggling now as the ground is snow-covered. We put out a lot of fruit and other snacks for the birds during the day, and we won't be trapping tomorrow despite promising conditions to allow them to feed undisturbed.

Ringed: LONG-EARED OWL 1, MEADOW PIPIT 1, European Robin 2, Redwing 8, Fieldfare 22, Common Blackbird 2, Blue Tit 1, Chaffinch 1, Yellowhammer 8. Total = 46. Also 12 controls.

Ringmerket: HORNUGLE 1, HEIPIPLERKE 1, rødstrupe 2, rødvingetrost 8, gråtrost 22, svarttrost 2, blåmeis 1, bokfink 1, gulspurv 8. Total = 46. Også 12 kontroller. 

The last time Revtangen BO trapped a Meadow Pipit in January was in 1958, so this is not a common winter catch!

One of the Redwings ringed today had an unusual amount of juvenile feathers for a mid-winter bird. All the greater coverts and even the scapulars are still juvenile.

Observations: Northern Lapwing 1, Common Snipe 1, Sparrowhawk 2, Short-eared/Long-eared Owl 2. 

Renate Berg, Espen Helgesen and Alf Tore Mjös