Mingling with the crowds at Windermere.

Quick post tonight as I'm tired & need my bed!

Out today with Craigster & Cia up at Lake Windermere catching gulls/wildfowl in front of hundreds of tourists! Fantastic day for promoting bird ringing, it was nice to get away from the ringing for a short while & talk to people from countries all over the world! People from Japan, Canada, South Africa & Australia - came over for a chat & a closer look at the birds!

36 new birds

Black Headed Gull - 5

Lesser Black Backed Gull - 1

Canada Goose - 14

Mute Swan -7
&

Saving the best species till last

COOT - 9

After leaving Craig & Ciaran - I headed down to Worlsey to meet Steve at the Swallow roost - 34 new Swallow & 3 Sand Martin ringed. Bringing the annual Swallow total to 608 (568 full grown & 40 pulli).

Herring Gulls.

10/08/2009 - 16/08/2009.

Goldfinch - 5 new / 1 recap
Bullfinch - 1 new / 1 recap
Greenfinch - 3 new / 1 recap
Blackbird - 1 new
Wood Pigeon - 2 new
Herring Gull - 4 new

Having fun with gulls in Wales (as seen on Springwatch)

I'm currently staying and working in North Wales carrying out aerial survey work around the North Wales coast. Last night we stayed in Llandudno and with seeing how Simon King on Springwatch tamely fed the Herring Gulls in Llandudno - I wanted a go! But obviously I wanted to try and catch one or two to ring, so after enquiring with the BTO - to make sure I wasn't going to be ringing in any others ringers area, I was all set. So after arriving in Llandudno, booking into our hotel, we then went in search of food! With KFC bucket & chips bought, we made our way to the sea front and immediately were confronted with a handful of Herring gulls!

With planning on going out for a few drinks after our KFC, I was careful where the birds rear end was!!

I should point out to any ''non ringer'' readers of this blog - that I do have a licence to catch and ring these birds.....