A quick trip up to Bardsey (nearly) with a touch of gloss to finish

Yesterday Adrienne called to say she had had a report of an un-ringed pair of Choughs roosting in a location where they might be catchable. We had caught a bird in the same spot about 15 years ago so there was some hope!! Opportunities to catch adult Choughs don't come too frequently so I filled my gas-guzzler with £60.00 worth of unleaded and headed up with Jane to meet Adrienne at Porthmadog. The site was very near the end of the Lleyn near Bardsey. Thankfully, the female of the pair obliged us and we also caught this cracking female Kestrel roosting in the same spot.

We are pretty sure that this is the same adult female from one of the nests we ring young at a bit further along the coast. Now she is colour-ringed, we will find out for sure in a few weeks time.

Returned to Borth at 5am,  just in time to catch another couple of Dunlin before it got too light.

Finished up by dropping in to view the colour-ringed Glossy Ibis (white 8J9) that has just turned up in a scruffy horse field at the back of town - amazingly, despite the ice,  it seems far happier there than a lot of the other residents of Borth! Will post ringing location when I know.

Back home now, fuel tanks empty!  Good job the BTO help with ring subsidies, the 20p forthcoming for last night's adventures (8p per chough and 12p per kestrel) will help off-set the cost ;-) !