Nest box checking

Yesterday we paid our first visit to our Tree Sparrow colony, being a little later than last year we found several boxes already containing very young chicks, we had another 4 containing eggs and 4 with the start of a nest, although I don't think 2 of these will continue as they were either side a box which was buzzing noisily! This site also had boxes containing eggs of 4 Great Tits and a Blue Tit.
Today with the help of one of our trainees we checked the boxes at our woodland site, results were 14 with eggs of Blue Or Great Tit ranging from 2 to 11 eggs, so some just starting to lay, 6 were in various stages of building and 10 not in use yet, another check in late May and we should have a few chicks to ring.
Several Cuckoos were seen and heard along with Buzzard, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and a Garden Warbler among others.

Too windy

There were plenty of hirundines at the WTP but it was too windy and the nets were blowing all over the place so had to take down before I'd got started. I did however catch a couple of dueling male Pied Wagtails. There were 20 or so Yellow Wagtails too so future visits when the wind drops may produce that species for the first time in a few years.

Trickling in

The summer migrants are certainly trickling in now. A brief session this morning at the water treatment plant (as someone suggested might sound more salubrious compared to sewerage works) there were Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whitetheoat and Blackcap (3 of the latter ringed). Also Swallow, House Martin and Yellow Wagtail on show.
It was however a bit chilly and I would on reflection have been better employed catching hirundines in the compound than the handful of passerines in the scrub. If the weather is dull tomorrow I may go for the former.