Unusual moult in a Sand Martin

On the 20th September we decided to try for the last few hirundines roosting in the local small reedbed, as well as a modest catch of Swallows we caught 2 Sand Martins. One of which was an adult that had undergone a partial moult of the flight feathers.

On both wings P1 & and  P2 had been moulted together with the corresponding PCs, in addition a sole tertial had also been moulted. All the other major flight feathers were old.

Catching up

It's been a while since we last blogged but things have been a bit on the slow side, what with the weather and holidays etc.
So to catch up then,  August saw a total of 228 new birds ringed including 89 Swallow, 11 Reed Warbler, 13 Whitethroat, 32 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff and 11 Reed Bunting. Our feeding station in the woods was restarted at the beginning of September and a couple of sessions resulted in 11 Coal Tit, 5 Blue Tit, 19 Great Tit and 7 Nuthatch along with a few retraps, other birds from our area include 2 Sand Martin, 26 Swallow, 2 Reed Warbler, 7 Meadow Pipit, 7 Blackcap and 11 Goldfinch, 141 new birds so far this month.
Let's hope the rain stops before the weekend.