I was helped today by Andy Palmer (usually found on the Salisbury Plain watching Stone Curlew and Montagu's Harriers - so some prosaic woodland birds is just what he needed) and Jonathan Cooper, (who is spending time working at Slimbridge and the WBRC) who has helped me out in the past.
Andy is just starting out on his ringing career and giving him a taste of multiple Blue and Great Tits is just the thing to test his mettle. In the event the birdlife was more extensive than that and we had a pleasant time until the wind increased, the direction changed and we had to take down. The highlights of the session were: the first Redwing of the winter (a lot flew over, so they are here in numbers already); one new and one retrapped Marsh Tit and two beautifully marked Treecreepers.
The list was as follows, New (Retrapped): Treecreeper 2; Blue Tit 9(2); Great Tit 2(2); Marsh Tit 1(1); Long-tailed Tit 1; Wren 1; Robin 1; Blackbird 2; Redwing 1; Goldcrest 8. Totals: 28 new, 5 retrapped. ST / AP /JC