#30DaysWild - day 17

#30DaysWild - day 17, and a bit of detective work.  

Prasad has been trying to confirm that at least one of the Redpolls appearing at our bird feeders is a Common/Mealy Redpoll.  He realised yesterday that it is ringed, and wanted to get a closer photograph so that we could see if we can read the number.  

I was out most of the day at a meeting but I set up the remote when I got home, and put the tripod as near as possible to the feeders.  There was quite a lot of moving the camera around, and having to wait for everything to settle down again.. The redpolls started off on one feeder (the niger one) so I aimed the camera at that, but when the hiatus died down and they returned to the feeders they went to the other one.. so I moved the camera again...they flew away again... this happened a few times...

I caught some other visitors at the same time.

This Greenfinch is ringed too, but I am not going to start trying to read his.

This isn't the ringed one and is probably a Lesser.

We have really been enjoying the Siskins and Goldfinches.  About 8pm I walked down in to the field below the house. We cut silage in this field last year, and there hasn't been any livestock in here for a good while.  The grass is gradually beginning to come now.   The weather all day has been mostly grey and it is always lovely to find the colour by looking in.

Sorrel and Bluebells seem to enjoy each others company.

The Field buttercups are just opening.

Overall, a wonderful palette of colour at my feet.

And a little bit of sunshine appearing as the clock approached 9pm and it was time to head back up the hill.

I have sent the photographs of the ring to Prasad.  We think we can see a MUS and underneath ON and underneath that 309 which would make them BTO rings.  The detective work continues, as the sun sets on day 17 of the #30DaysWild.