Over the years it has become apparant that during August and early September there is a large movement of juvenile birds, followed in late September and October by adult birds. From November onwards some of the birds caught are extremely big with wing lengths sometimes pushing or even exceeding 200mm (the size of a small Coot). It is assumed that some of these longer winged birds might be of a continental origin.
We are still yet to have a colour-ringed Moorhen sighted outside of the valley, once caught and ringed it's not unusual to see them here for a few days but then they disappear...keep your eyes peeled for our coloured feathered friends, these birds must be going somewhere....but who knows where?
Adult female & young male Moorhen
Also in the early hours of Sunday morning as Craig was setting the nets for a planned catch (in the evening/early hours) a flock of birds whooshed in - 7 Teal, 4 Snipe, Lapwing, Dunlin, Tufted Duck and a Pochard! This is only the 6th Pochard to be ringed in the valley, they are unusual at any other time of year than during periods of extensive winter floods, however upto 6 pairs have been present this summer due to the wet conditions and this is probably one of the females that attempted to breed.
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