Graham Deacon

Chilly morning at Sevenhampton with the breeze coming from the north. A fine male Brambling was the pick of the bunch today along with another 5 new Redwing taking us to 173 for the year so far #birdringing #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing recovery: Grasshopper Warbler ringed by us on Salisbury Plain on the 28th August 2025, recovered Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France on the 18th September 2025. 21 days since ringed, 437km movement @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

Another big thrush morning at Sevenhampton with 700 Redwing & 250 Fieldfare moving through with 64 Redwing & a Fieldfare ringed. 2 retrap adult Marsh Tit's are 50% of the local population. The Blackbird had a massive 141mm wing so likely a continental bird #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing recovery: Goldfinch ringed at Sevenhampton on the 22nd October 2025, recovered at Saint Mars-sur-la-Futaie, Mayenne, France on the 7th January 2026. 77 days since ringed, 357km movement #birdringing #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

Snow cover further north meant a massive cold weather movement of thrushes at Sevenhampton this morning involving c700 Redwing & c250 Fieldfare passing over the top of the ringing table. We ringed an impressive 72 Redwing, all but one were 1st winter's #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

1st session of 2026 at Sevenhampton this morning. Big numbers of thrushes still around with 300 each of Fieldfare & Redwing resulting in 1 & 23 respectively ringed amongst the usual tit & finch fare #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

Frosty start at Sevenhampton. Nice species selection ringed with Starling, 9 Redwing. 5 finch species inc. Redpoll & the 1st Brambling for 4 winters. The days of ringing 40 Greenfinch a session are long gone. Todays 4 birds are the 1st ringed here since 2021 #birdringing @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

Pleasant morning at Sevenhampton. 1st Autumn Fieldfare ringed with 15 Redwing's. Redpoll no's are slowly picking up & the 9 caught today is our best day total after a few meagre years #birdringing #migration #

North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing control: Chiffchaff ringed at Rutland Water on the 25th September 2025, controlled by us on Salisbury Plain on the 11th October 2025. 16 days since ringed, 181km movement #birdringing #migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing recovery: Reed Warbler ringed by us on Salisbury Plain on 26th August 2023, recovered at Much Markle, Herefordshire on 13th August 2025. 718 days since ringed, 93km movement #birdringing #migration

Too breezy for Salisbury Plain so it was a visit to Sevenhampton this morning. 1st morning of the Autumn going for Redwing's with 9 ringed along with 2 Song Thrush & a continental looking Blackbird. Lots of Tit's & even more leaves as the breeze picked up #birdringing #migration

Decent moth morning in Swindon VC7. 18 species inc. 3 Merveille de Jour for a 1st garden record, 3 Green-brindled Crescent, Red-line Quaker, November Moth, a late Light Emerald, Cypress Carper, 2 Red-green Carpet #mothsmatter #teammoth

Salisbury Plain today. An impressive 164 birds processed given the lateness of the season inc. 2 Firecrest, 115 Chiffchaff, 26 Blackcap & just a single Meadow Pipit. 12 Redwing over, the 1st of the Autumn & the best ever views of Great Bustard on the way off down to 30m #birdringing #migration

North Wiltshire Ringing Group recovery: Redwing ringed at Sevenhampton on 12th November 2011, recovered at Farlington Marsh, Hants on 14th September 2025. Interesting one as leg only found so how long has it been dead? 5055 days since ringed, 96km movement #birdringing #migration

Yellow-browed Bunting trapped, ringed and released at the Swannery. It's flown to the hedge which runs alongside the Swannery grounds and the bird may be viewable from the permissive path heading west from Grove Lane.

Salisbury Plain today. The catch today was dominated by 88 Chiffchaff plus still plenty of Blackcap's with 64 ringed. We also ringed our 4th Firecrest of the Autumn. Total of 166 birds processed #birdringing #Migration @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

Bit on the chilly side for moths last night in my Swindon garden VC7. Still managed 2 Black Rustic, Orange Sallow & Angle Shades #teammoth #mothsmatter

Salisbury Plain today: 199 birds processed. Chiffchaff no's increasing with 73 ringed along with a decent 110 Blackcap's. Highlight was our 3rd Firecrest of the Autumn. Steady trickle of Swallow's heading south & over 100 Meadow Pipit's #birdringing #migration

Warm but windy night in Swindon but gave the moths a go. Rewarded with a Red Underwing (shame it's never blue) & the gardens 2nd Clancy's Rustic which is still quite scarce in VC7 #mothsmatter #teammoth

North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing control: Chiffchaff ringed at St Twynnells, Pembrokeshire on the 28th June 2025, controlled by us on Salisbury Plain on the 8th September 2025. 72 days since ringed, 214km movement #birdringing #migration

Salisbury Plain today before the storm closed in. Cautious net set with a small team but we still processed 282 birds. Site rarity in the form of a Treecreeper + tardy single Garden & Sedge Warbler's. Chiffchaffs increasing with 41 but the bulk of the catch were 231 Blackcaps #birdringing #migration

North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing control: Sedge Warbler ringed 9th August 2025 at Trimley Marshes, Suffolk, controlled by us on Salisbury Plain on the 16th August 2025. 7 days since ringed, 238km movement west #birdringing #Migration

Another busy Salisbury Plain morning with 171 birds processed. 14th Nightjar of the Autumn for the site & the 40th for North Wilts RG overall. Also ringed: Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 39 Chiffchaff & 126 Blackcap #birdringing #Migration

A morning on Salisbury Plain produced another fantastic Wryneck, the 8th for the site, 2nd this Autumn. We processed a decent 157 birds in a limited number of nets catching Redstart, Sedge & Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 26 Chiffchaff & 119 Blackcap #birdringing #Migration

A morning of departing warblers on Salisbury Plain today dominated by 168 Blackcap's out of 227 birds processed. We also caught 4 Willow, 2 Garden, a Grasshopper & 7 Sedge Warbler's, 10 Whitethroat, 27 Chiffchaff & a Swallow. Nightjar seen #birdringing #migration

Big day on Salisbury Plain with 291 birds processed. The Wryneck from Thurs was retrapped & weights 30.7g, up from 28.4g. A massive 225 Blackcap's caught plus Stonechat, 3 Grasshopper, 3 Reed, 17 Sedge, 4 Garden, 2 Willow, 8 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 22 Chiffchaff #birdringing #migration

Just 2 of us ringing Salisbury Plain this morning for a busy 173 birds. We were rewarded with the sites 7th Wryneck, a stunning bird with amazing plumage. Also ringed: Whinchat, 4 Grasshopper, Reed, 17 Sedge, 5 Garden, 2 Willow, 112 Blackcap, 7 Whitethroat #birdringing #migration

Some nice moths over the last few days from my Swindon garden: Orange Sallow is quite unusual for VC7. Also had a few Palpita vitrealis plus Small Ranunculus & Sallow Kitten #teammoth

Another quiet migrant day on Salisbury Plain but over 500 birds ringed in the last 4 mornings. We have now passed 100 Grasshopper Warbler's in a year for the 1st time & it's a record year for Garden's with over 160. However, worst year ever for Willow's with only 70 ringed so far #birdringing

Salisbury Plain again. Big clear out over-night with few new birds in so much quieter today with just 98 birds processed. 13th Nightjar for the month, Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Grasshopper, 5 Reed, 7 Sedge, 8 Garden, 4 Willow Warbler's & 5 Whitethroat, 56 Blackcap #birdringing #migration